Ianis Zicu, nicknamed the Romanian Express in Korea, has gained a reputation for being the Steelers` go-to striker, emerging as the team`s top scorer by hitting the mark in every game since the opening of the K-League season this year. He rivals Lee Dong-gook of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors as the top scorer in the league.

Zicu`s skill overshadows others in terms of purity. He has appeared as a replacement player in three out of five games. He scored goals in two of those games, despite aggregate playing time of only 57 minutes. He has outstanding shooting skills, having hit the net on five of his 10 shots in his five appearances.

The Steelers` match with Seongnam Ilwha on April 8 highlighted Zicu`s importance to the team. He scored a goal less than 2 minutes after coming off the bench as a replacement. Keeping a watchful eye on Ko Moo-yul`s penetration, he received the ball and scored the goal with composure. Both of his shots in the Seongnam match were counted as shots on goal.

``He`s an extremely quick thinker. His passes outmaneuver others and he is very decisive,`` said Manager Hwang Sun-hong. ``His position and tactics make it hard for him to play in the first half, but he is a player that I can rely on to do well at any time.``

Zicu expressed his opinion that the team`s success on the field is more important to him than personal playing time. ``It`s not important whether I play 10 or 90 minutes. I don`t get to decide how long I play. What matters to me is whether my team wins,`` he said in an interview with Sportal Korea after the Seongnam match.

Thanks to Zicu, the Pohang Steelers is undefeated in five consecutive matches, including two draws. The Steelers now ranks fifth in the league.

Zicu, a previous Romanian national team player, has also suited up for Inter Milan (2004-2005), Dinamo Bucuresti (2007-2010) and last year played for CSKA Sofia of Bulgaria. Known there as a star scorer, notching 13 goals in 15 matches, Zicu joined the Steelers in January this year. When asked about the secret to his successful adjustment to the East Asian game, Zicu replied, ``Soccer is the same everywhere. The rules and the methods are all the same. The club is very accommodating, and I`m happy.``

He has proven to be versatile positionally. Manager Hwang uses two main striker tactics alternatively by positioning Park Sung-ho as the main striker and Zicu as the shadow striker.

jkcho@steelers.co.kr

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