Park Ji-sung Silences Critics With 2 Goals in Win

Song Jun-seop, the team doctor for Korea at the South Africa World Cup soccer finals, spoke about how defender Lee Young-pyo (Al Hilal) described Park Ji-sung (Manchester United).

“The fact that Park Ji-sung has survived among Manchester United’s star players makes him a great player,” Song quoted Lee as saying. Lee and Park were once teammates at PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands.

As captain of the Korean team, Park led the squad to the second round of the World Cup this summer but has suffered a loss of form since returning to United. United coach Alex Ferguson has given Park little playing time, citing slow agility in attack.

Park silenced the criticism against him Saturday, however, by scoring both of United’s goals in a dramatic 2-1 win over the Wolverhampton Wanderers. His goals were his first in the league this season following two scored in the Carling Cup competition.

Injuries to key players Wayne Rooney, Ryan Wilson, Luis Nani and Antonio Valencia have ravaged United this season, so Park’s heroics came at an opportune time.

The Korean scored the game’s opening goal in the 45th minute by shooting home a pass from Darren Fletcher. The Wanderers tied the score in the 66th minute thanks to Sylvan Embanks-Blake, but in the 93rd minute, Park cut in from the right, evaded four men, and fired home the winning goal at the near post.

“The spectators cheered and hopped on their seats when I scored the (winning) goal. I’ll never forget that moment,” he said.

Ferguson said Park made a brilliant play and called him one of the team’s best players.

The British media had picked Park as a player likely to leave United, but his two-goal performance against the Wolves has put a dent in that prediction.

kimsk@donga.com