Kim Min-jae blasts goal on debut in Champions League… first win at Munich-Dong ilbow

Kim Min-jae Shines in Bayern’s Victory Over PSG

On November 27, 2024, Kim Min-jae, a central defender for Bayern Munich, made a significant impact in his UEFA Champions League debut by scoring the winning goal against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). His header in the 38th minute led Bayern to a 1-0 victory in this league stage match.

Kim’s goal came from a corner kick, where he capitalized on a misplay by PSG’s goalkeeper, Matve Safonov. This marked Kim’s first goal in the Champions League and his second goal of the season, following a goal in a Bundesliga match against Frankfurt on October 7.

Throughout the match, Kim Min-jae played the entire game and displayed strong defensive skills, achieving a 93.2% pass success rate with 59 attempts, along with two interceptions and seven clearances. His performance earned him an 8.2 rating from Sofa Score, the highest of any player on the field. After the match, Bayern’s captain, Manuel Neuer, celebrated Kim’s performance, highlighting his importance to the team’s defense, which has now gone seven matches without conceding a goal.

In a notable moment, Lee Kang-in from PSG entered the game in the second half, marking the first meeting between Korean players in the Champions League in 13 years. This encounter recalls the 2011 group stage match between Park Ji-sung and Park Joo-ho.

With this victory, Bayern Munich currently holds 9 points in the Champions League standings, while PSG has 4 points. Meanwhile, in other Champions League news, Manchester City lost a commanding 3-0 lead against Feyenoord, resulting in a 3-3 draw.

Kim Min-jae’s strong performance not only contributed to Bayern’s win but also highlighted the growing influence of Korean players in European football.