Swansea City winger Eom Ji-sung has returned to the club after firing South Korea to Asian Games gold, scoring the decisive goal in the final. His tournament-winning contribution in Japan secures a major personal milestone and a timely boost for the Championship leaders, who have taken 17 points from their first eight games to sit atop the standings.
Eom Ji-sung struck the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Japan in the gold medal match on Saturday night. The 24-year-old turned in a crowded box during the second half to finish emphatically, netting his fourth goal of the competition. He had earlier opened the tournament with a hat-trick against Qatar and provided two assists in the semi-final win over China.
Selected as one of three permitted over-age players in the Under-23 squad, Eom embraced the responsibility. "Being an over-age player here did bring some pressure but I tried to embrace it and tried to do what I could do best," he said. The gold medal earns him an exemption from mandatory military service in South Korea. "I will never forget this competition for the rest of my life," Eom added.
His return is a welcome one for Swansea, who have been in strong form. Before his international duty, Eom had contributed two goals and two assists in the club's first six league matches, averaging a direct goal involvement every 135 minutes. This included the opener in the 3-0 win over Watford that sent Swansea top. He missed the 3-1 victory over Burnley in September while on tournament duty, a result that was part of the team's current run of four wins in their last five Championship outings.
Manager Luke Williams now has his influential winger back ahead of a key home fixture. Swansea host Norwich City this Saturday as they look to maintain their two-point lead at the summit. Eom Ji-sung is expected to be available for selection against the 17th-placed Canaries, and his return bolsters a squad aiming to sustain its early-season momentum. The club will be hoping his sharpness from a tournament where he scored four goals translates immediately back to league action.
More detail at Yonhap News Agency
