These three footballers prove that Asian players can also compete in continental Europe, including Champions League class tournaments. The second matchday of the 2019-2020 Champions League, which ended on Thursday (10/10/2019), presented a match between clubs that competed in the group phase to win tickets to qualify for the round of 16.
Some clubs show interesting performances on the second matchday, such as Barcelona who successfully turned things around against Inter Milan. In a duel at the Nou Camp Stadium, Wednesday (2/10), Barceleona won 2-1 thanks to Luiz Suarez.
There was also a seven-goal drama at Anfield where Liverpool were almost chased by Red Bull Salzburg. Luckily, Mohamed Salah scored the deciding goal so the Reds won 4-3.
The second set of matches in the Champions League group stage leaves a number of interesting facts. One of them is the appearance of a number of Asian players who returned to attract attention.
Three Asian players who performed quite impressive on the first matchday were successful again on the second matchday. They are the two Red Bull Salzburg players, Hwang Hee-chan and Takumi Minamino.
Previously, Hwang Hee-chan and Takumi Minamino also performed brilliantly when Red Bull Salzburg destroyed Genk on the first matchday.
Hwang Hee-Chan & Takumi Minamino
Hwang Hee-chan successfully scored one goal two assists, while Minamino contributed two assists in the match against Genk. Hwang Hee-chan and Takumi Minamino performed well again when Red Bull Salzburg faced Liverpool at Anfield Stadium.
Both players created trouble for Liverpool defense for 90 minutes. Hwang and Minamino even each created one goal and one assist. Hwang’s goal was scored in the 39th minute.
The South Korean player tricked the world’s best defender Virgil van Dijk before hitting the ball in the Liverpool goal that Adrian was guarding. Not enough to stop there, Hwang returned to play a role in the goals of both his team.
After Hwang, it was Minamino’s turn to show his action in the 56th minute. The Japanese player managed to make Adrian helpless to block his kick.
Minamino then provided assists for Salzburg’s third goal scored by Erling Braut Haaland. Unfortunately, Salzburg’s sweet comeback must be broken by Mohamed Salah who scored a goal in the 69th minute.
Salzburg was finally defeated by a thin score of 3-4. Besides Hwang and Minamino, another Asian player who returned promising in the Champions League was Iranian player Sardar Azmoun.
Sardar Azmoun
Sardar Azmoun again successfully listed his name on the scoreboard when the team he defended, Zenit St Petersburg, defeated Benfica by a score of 3-1 at the Krestovsky Stadium on Thursday (3/10/2019).
In the 78th minute, Azmoun who was standing guard escaped Benfica goalkeeper Odisseas Vlachodimos before striking the ball into the goal. Earlier, Azmoun also scored on the first matchday when Zenit held 1-1 against Olympique Lyon.
