After being heavily linked to Manchester United, but unable to make the move due to club politics, Kim Min-jae scored in a Bayern Munich shirt to help the Bavarians topple the Red Devils.
The Bavarians defeated the Red Devils 1-0 away at Old Trafford in Manchester, England, at 5 a.m. ET on Wednesday in the sixth leg of their UEFA Champions League Group A match of the 2023-2024 season.
Munich, who already qualified for the round of 16 by topping the group, finished the group stage unbeaten with 16 points (5 wins, 1 draw). United, on the other hand, tasted the bitter taste of elimination as they finished bottom of the group with four points (one win, one draw, and four losses).
Kim Min-jae played the full game. He and Dayo Upamecano combined well to keep United’s attacks at bay.
Munich dominated possession and United were on the counterattack. In the ninth minute of the first half, Kane got a shot off after a pass from Munich’s Coman, but it was blocked by the keeper. In the 13th minute, Kimmich hit an audacious mid-range shot. Munich continued to threaten the United goal.
United’s counterattacks were well blocked by Kim Min-jae. In the 18th minute, Fernandez tried to pass to Hoi Lun, but Kim was there to block it with his foot. On each of United’s counterattacks, Kim was there to stop them.
However, the first half was not as fortunate for Munich. In the 26th minute, Zane broke free on a dribble and tried to pass to Musalla, but his pass was intercepted. The first half ended scoreless at 0-0.
Munich laughed in the second half. They scored the winning goal. In the 25th minute of the second half, Coman took advantage of a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper and fired home.
Pushed to the brink, United had a final free-kick opportunity in the 42nd minute but couldn’t capitalize. The 0-1 loss at home sealed United’s elimination from the Champions League.
Munich dominated possession, winning 59.1% of the ball. The Bavarians also held a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal.
Kim Min-jae had a lot to do with Munich’s victory. He erased the disappointment of the previous game.
The Bavarians suffered a 1-5 defeat in the 14th round of the Bundesliga against Frankfurt on September 9. The defense completely collapsed, conceding three goals in the first half alone. Kim Min-jae was also to blame as he was out of sync with his teammates. In particular, the Bavarians kept allowing breakthroughs on the right flank, where Upamecano was guarding. Kim Min-jae tried to help, but he could only do so much. The offside trap was also repeatedly breached, leading to a critical goal.
After being criticized, Kim Min-jae showed a different side in just one game. He completely shut down the United offense on the day, with United striker Rasmus Höyelun in particular unable to do anything in front of Kim’s defense.
In the game, Kim completed 94% (83/88) of his passes, had one shot on goal, five passes into the attacking zone, one successful tackle, two clearances, one interception, and five ball recoveries. It was a solid defensive performance that lived up to his reputation.
After the game, British media outlet 90min gave Kim the highest rating for both teams. They gave him an 8 out of 10.
Along with Kim, the highest rated player was Komang, who scored the final goal. “He was a constant threat down the right flank and scored beautifully, using his pace to turn the United defenders before heading home,” said the media outlet. As good as Komang’s goal was, Kim Min-jae’s defense was just as good.
Britain’s 90min gave Kim the highest rating, saying, “The Korean defender, who United missed out on in the summer transfer window, put in a stunning performance and made them (United) regret it.”
As reported, United were keen to sign Kim this summer, but a lack of funds and a stalled transfer of ‘defensive hole’ Harry Maguire prevented them from landing him.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow for the Red Devils to have to swallow after seeing Kim in a Munich shirt, scoring a game-winning goal against them. This is where ’90min’ comes in.