Celtic’s Emilio Izaguirre limped out of yesterday’s 4-0 defeat from South Korea after a thumping challenge from Ki Sung-Yeung that earned the midfielder a booking!
Neil Lennon wouldn’t have been happy watching the 65th minute incident in a friendly that was never any sort of contest.
With South Korea two goals up Ki clattered Izzy around 25 yards out. I don’t think it was a malicious challenge but rather a clumsy, robust one.
As Izzy was on the ground getting attention Ki was booked and after a few seconds seemed to realise who he had tackled and went over to apologise and offered his hand which Izzy swiped away, looking none to happy to say the least. After a minute or so of moving gingerly Izzy was subbed.
It was a very unfortunate incident, especially in a friendly match, and we can only hope Izzy is fine and that there will be no animosity between the two as Celtic need to be a strong, cohesive unit for the remainder of the season.
It was a very comfortable win for Korea against a pretty poor Honduras side. Ki started as the holding midfielder in a 4-5-1 formation for Korea while Emilio Izaguirre started on the left side of midfield for Honduras, with Wigan’s Maynor Figueroa playing at left back.
There wasn’t too much to report about the game itself. The noisy Korean crowd, helped by megaphones and excitable teenagers, roared on a full strength Korean team from kick-off and they responded by dominating the Hondurans.
Korea scored two goals in each half, with two of the four goals coming from Ki corners – and pretty abject Honduran defending. Their strategy of leaving 3 men on the halfway line for corners, including Izzy, didn’t work.
Ki had a decent game and kept the ball moving well. Personally, I still don’t consider him a holding midfielder but it seems the role he has been earmarked for. Izzy didn’t see too much of the ball but did show some nice touches and would have benefited from better awareness by teammates.
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Just to add, @celtickorea has since told me that people closer to the incident than I was claim the players were in fact smiling. And, Ki has been active on twitter, clearly not brooding over anything.
Highlights on TV here just now. Flicking through channels, missed the tackle but saw the free-kick and Izzy going off. He didn’t seem in any distress and I’m sure he’s fine.
Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if Izaguiire misses the midweek international and is home earlier for the Inverness Caley Thistle game on Saturday.