Midfielder Lee Dong-gyeong will miss South Korea's two upcoming friendly matches due to a rib fracture he sustained during his club match over the weekend.
Ulsan HD FC of the K League 1 announced Monday that Lee will need at least four weeks of recovery after breaking a rib during the team's 1-0 win over Suwon FC the previous day.
With Ulsan having only two more matches left this season, Lee will likely miss the rest of the year and will also not be available for the national team for friendlies against Bolivia on Friday and Ghana next Tuesday.
Lee hurt his rib after getting in a battle with defender Lee Si-young in the 84th minute. However, Ulsan had already used up all five substitutions by that point, forcing Lee to play the remainder of the match hurt. Lee was taken off the field in an ambulance after the final whistle.
Lee, who has played in each of the past four South Korea matches, is the third midfielder on the national team to have suffered an injury during club action since head coach Hong Myung-bo unveiled his squad last Monday.
Feyenoord midfielder Hwang In-beom has been ruled out for six to eight weeks with a left thigh injury, while Birmingham City FC midfielder Paik Seung-ho is dealing with a shoulder injury.
The Korea Football Association has said it will not pick a replacement for Hwang, but it may be forced to name new players in the absences of Paik and Lee. (Yonhap)
