Celtic player delivers 'electric' performance for national team

It has not been the best of weeks for Celtic fans. The transfer window slammed shut with nowhere near the level of quality signings being made, as was the expectation going into the new year. Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers joined Greg Taylor on the injured list. All followed by Saturday’s underwhelming 1-1 draw away against Aberdeen.

In among all the doom and gloom, there is a small and brighter piece of news. Over at the ongoing AFC Asian Cup, one Celtic summer signing has had an opportunity to show his ability on the pitch, with encouraging results. 

Yang Hyun-jun was signed in the summer from Gangwon FC. He came with a decent reputation and the 2022 K-League Young Player of the Year title under his belt.

Although so far his displays in the Hoops have been quite mixed, it was no surprise that he joined Oh Hyeon-gyu in the South Korea squad for the AFC Asian Cup. And Yang seems to be making a positive impression at the moment.

Celtic player delivers 'electric' performance for national team

Yang was given the chance to play as a second-half substitute in South Korea’s AFC Asian Cup quarter-final against Australia. He hadn’t had any game time until that point in the tournament. He delivered when it mattered the most though.

When Yang was brought on, South Korea were chasing a goal and on the brink of elimination. In the end, they won 2-1 to secure a semi-final spot against Jordan.

Yang wasn’t amongst the goals but he did impress in his spell on the pitch. Korean football journalist Jason Lee shared his thoughts on the Celtic player's 'electric' performance on Twitter:

Some of Lee’s comments about Yang may well resonate with Celtic fans, despite the player's overall club form this season. He has had moments of great skill and shown drive to take on defenders and get balls into the penalty area. It is consistency that he needs to find though.