Kim leads Bayern over 10-man PSG to sink Champions League aspirations

A first-half header from Kim Min-jae helped Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at home on Tuesday, hurting the French side’s Champions League aspirations. Kim scored when PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov, starting ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, dropped the ball into his path.

The South Korean’s attempt decided the 2020 Champions League final rematch, which Bayern won by the same scoreline, and ended PSG’s aspirations of a top-eight finish and avoiding the playoffs. Ousmane Dembele received a second yellow card for an unjustified challenge with 30 minutes left, and Bayern shut things down.

“It was an extremely intense game,” Leon Goretzka told Amazon Prime.

“You could see in the starting XI they were going to try and hold onto the ball and to test us with their pressing -– and we pushed to the end and it’s nice we could be rewarded.”

With three games left, the French champions, who sit 26th — two outside the playoffs—may not make the knockouts. January brings Manchester City and difficult away trips to Red Bull Salzburg and Stuttgart for PSG.

“When we were growing into the game, the red card came and after that it was very, very difficult because they’re as good as we are — and when we play with one less, it’s hard,” Goncalo Ramos said.

Bayern’s top-eight aspirations improved after the win, which extended their clean sheet streak to seven games in all competitions. Bayern coach Vincent Kompany lauded his defenders: “Our strikers had no fun during training.

“And when it’s no fun for the strikers at training, you know you’ve got something going on in the defence.”

Bayern is 11th and faces Shakhtar Donetsk, Feyenoord, and Slovan Bratislava in their remaining games. Both teams were unblemished and six points ahead in their home competitions but needed points in Europe. Kompany chose Leroy Sane’s speed over France winger Michael Olise’s creativity up front.

PSG manager Luis Enrique made five changes, but the most remarkable was his choice of goalie Safonov over Donnarumma, who has played all but one Champions League game this season.

Before the game, Luis Enrique told reporters, “I make my choices based on what I see on the pitch and what’s best for the team.” Safonov saved Jamal Musiala and Sane in the first 12 minutes, proving the decision.

Kingsley Coman, the PSG academy player who scored the only goal in the 2020 final, dribbled between five defenders and shot wide shortly after. The Russian goalie made a mistake that led to the opener after PSG had a couple chances, including Joao Neves’ long-range shot that went past the post on 33 minutes.

The 38th minute saw Safonov spill a Joshua Kimmich corner kick. Kim scored his first Champions League goal with a header. Bayern were ready to let PSG come back in the second half, but Dembele’s second yellow—his first for dissent—thwarted their chances.