Celtic star Yang celebrates as Korea win gold in Asian Games
Huge congratulations to Yang who has earned a gold medal at the Asian Games after South Korea beat Japan 1-0 in the final of the tournament with Eom Jisung scoring the winning goal…
It was a proud achievement for the South Korean squad having won their fourth successive title, but they had extra reason to celebrate the triumph.
The 24-year-old Celtic winger and his teammates will now be exempt from South Korea’s mandatory military service, subject to completing a period of basic training, after winning gold in the competition.
Usually South Korean’s have to complete 18-21 months of military service which Yang would have had to take before the age of 28.
But there was some concern for Yang and Martin O’Neill after the winger failed to make it on the pitch for the second consecutive game in the tournament.
The winger was an unused substitute just as he was in the semi-final win over China, something that will naturally raise question marks over his overall fitness when he returns to Glasgow in the coming days.
Yang who started the campaign with Celtic in top form before heading to the Asian Games with his country, much to the disappointment of Martin O’Neill and the Celtic supporters, has been plagued by a hamstring issue throughout the tournament, and it remains to be determined if he will suffer any long term affects when he returns to Glasgow this week.
Hamstring issues are usually quite complex meaning Yang will surely be classed as doubtful for next Sunday’s trip to Fir Park.
The clash with the Steelmen is the first in a series of tough fixtures ahead in the month of October for Celtic, with the team travelling to Lisbon on Europa League duty to take on Benfica and there are with vital home clashes with Hearts in the league and Celta Vigo in the Europa League also pending.
A tough away trip to face Hibs at Easter Road is also on the horizon, so it may well be that Yang could be forced to sit out a few of those vital fixtures.
Celtic could certainly do with him back in the squad and available for selection. Martin O’Neill admitted that Celtic would miss Yang while he was away and he was 100% accurate in that assessment.
