Celtic’s Hyeongyu Oh makes instant impact for South Korea in final AFC Asian Cup group match
Hyeongyu Oh has been at Celtic for just over a year now and has enjoyed his fair share of positive moments in green and white.
The 22-year-old, who was signed by the Hoops under coach Ange Postecoglou, has scored 12 goals in his first 45 games; but, because of Yogo Furuhashi’s consistent play, he has struggled to get regular starting opportunities [Transfermarkt].
The former Suwon Samsung Bluewings striker is now listed as one of Celtic’s five absences because of his participation in the AFC Asian Cup with South Korea.
Playing in Group E on matchday two against Jordan, Oh held off the opposition defenders in a sequence that resulted in Yazan Al Arab sliding the ball through his own net to secure a 2-2 draw. Oh also helped the Taeguek Warriors salvage a late point to overcome a two-goal deficit.
Since then, South Korea has advanced to the competition’s knockout stage with a 3-3 tie with Malaysia on matchday three. Their team finished second in the group, and goals from Jeong Woo-Yeong, Lee Kang-in, and Son Heung-Min ensured that a point was enough to advance to the round of 16 [ESPN].
In the following round, Saudi Arabia prepared for South Korea, resulting in a match that features two of the tournament favorites evenly matched [The New Arab].
Celtic striker Hyeongyu Oh makes an impact for South Korea
According to Transfermarkt, Oh has made 16 appearances from the bench in his 19 Scottish Premiership games this season, mostly as a substitute for Celtic.
Despite just playing for the final fifteen minutes of the match plus stoppage time, the striker, who was assigned a similar position while on international duty, demonstrated his ability.
The 22-year-old won a penalty kick, which Tottenham Hotspur player Son ultimately converted, according to Sofascore. Oh received an average match rating of 7.1/10 for his performance, which included him winning half of his ground duels, completing 100% of his passes, and having one of his attempts blocked.
Oh has made an impact on both of the South Korean team’s games this tournament. Knowing that a trip to the quarterfinals is on the line, Oh will be hoping to carry on when his team plays Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Oh has something to offer Brendan Rodgers on Celtic return
Even though Oh doesn’t start games for Celtics on a regular basis, he has all the necessary skills to be a valuable member of Brendan Rodgers’ squad in the second half of the season.
The forward from Namyangju is interestingly the only player in the Scottish Premiership with a higher goal per ninety minutes ratio than David Turnbull [Fotmob]. This suggests that the forward will have something to offer when he returns.
After participating in the event, Oh hopes to return to Parkhead with a more positive experience.
