Atlético Secures Resounding Win Against Sociedad After Early Substitution of Lee Kang-in

Spain's professional football club Atlético Madrid scored three goals after Lee Kang-in was substituted early, securing a victory against Real Sociedad.

Playing away at the Reale Arena in San Sebastian, Spain, Atlético earned a 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the fifth round of the 2026-2027 La Liga season, fueled by a flurry of goals starting in the 84th minute.

Starting as a right winger, Lee Kang-in teamed up with Alex Baena on the left and Ademola Lookman at the forefront of the attack.

Lee threatened the opponent's goal just five minutes into the first half with a sharp left-footed shot after cutting inside, and again in the 24th minute with a cross aimed at Morten Hjulmand's head.

However, Atlético's overall attack did not flow smoothly. Ultimately, manager Diego Simeone played a tactical card in the 60th minute by substituting out Lee Kang-in, Baena, and Marcos Llorente, bringing in Johnny Cardoso, Jonathan David, and Koke.

Having been substituted off in the 59th minute of the previous match against Bilbao, Lee was withdrawn early for the second consecutive game, leaving him with a sense of disappointment.

Following the substitutions, Atlético's attack gained momentum.

In the 84th minute, Alejandro Grimaldo successfully converted a penalty kick awarded due to a handball foul by Sociedad's Jobe Ochieng, scoring the opening goal.

Five minutes later, David received a pass in the center, shook off a defender, and scored an additional goal with a left-footed shot.

In the 95th minute, Giuliano Simeone sealed the victory with a breakthrough followed by a shot.

With this victory, Atlético broke a two-game losing streak across all official matches.

After the match, manager Simeone explained the reason for benching Lee Kang-in and Baena in the 60th minute, stating, "It worked out well, but otherwise, I would have been criticized for why I took off Baena and Lee." He added, "(After the substitution) we achieved the midfield reinforcement we wanted. I told Jonathan that because Lookman and Lee have played more time together, he wasn't starting, but Jonathan came on as a substitute and showed a fantastic performance, scoring with unbelievable composure."

Simeone also noted, "Lee often received the ball with his back to the opponent, and in that position, it looked like he was trapped. Jonathan gave us deeper penetration, and that added something different to the team."

With this match, Lee has recorded one goal and one assist in the league so far this season.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.