Football/Overseas League: Sports: News: Hankyoreh Mobile

Chelsea Women of England’s women’s professional football team led by Ji-Mesh Ji So-yeon won the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg. Chelsea Women in the 2020-2021 women’s UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg away game held in Budapest, Hungary on the 25th (Korea time), beat Wolfsburg Women (Germany) 2-1. Ji So-yeon started as a second-line striker and played 74 minutes until he was replaced by Erin Cuthbert in the second half of the 29th. Chelsea Women, who finished the first half without a goal, went ahead with Sam Kerr’s opening goal in the 10th minute of the second half. This goal started at Ji So-yeon’s toe. Franck Kirby received the pass Ji So-yeon stabbed in Jungwon and immediately connected it to Kerr, who was running in front of the penalty area. Kerr rushes to the right of the goal area and beats the goalkeeper to make a right-footed shot. In the 21st minute of the second half, Chelsea Women’s scored 2-0 with Fernille Harder’s goal. In the second half of the 25th minute, Chelsea scored a penalty for Wolfsburg Women in the second half, and in the 29th minute of the second half, Chelsea defended their 2-1 victory with defensive midfielder Cuthbert instead of Ji So-yeon. Chelsea Women will play the second leg of the quarterfinals at the same place on the 31st. On the 24th, Ji So-yeon was ranked 18th in the’Top 50 Women’s Soccer Players’ first selected by the sports media (ESPN). Ji So-yeon, who joined Chelsea in January 2014, was selected as Player of the Year by the English Professional Football Players Association (PFA) in 2015. Regarding Ji So-yeon, Eun said, “I actively participate in defense with not only scoring and help but tireless stamina. His ability to run the game is also outstanding,” he praised. Ji So-yeon has won the WSL three times (2015, 2018, 2020) and two FA Cups (2015 and 2018). Chelsea coach Emma Hayes said, “Ji So-yeon is the most influential player in the league. It will be remembered as a Chelsea legend.” Sam Muis (USA) of Manchester City (England) was chosen as the number one in the ranking. Ji So-yeon is scheduled to enter the country in early April to participate in the first leg of the playoffs for the Tokyo Olympics against China, which will be held on the 8th of next month. Korean women’s football has never made it to the Olympics finals. By Lee Chun-jae, staff reporter