Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae to play in UEFA Champions League knockout stage

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Lee Kang-in, Kim Min-jae to play in UEFA Champions League knockout stage

Published: 14 Dec. 2023, 08:32 Updated: 14 Dec. 2023, 17:22

JIM BULLEY
jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr

PSG's Lee Kang-in, right, in action with Dortmund's Salih Ozcan, during a UEFA Champions League Group F game at the Westfalen Stadium in Dortmund, Germany on Wednesday. [AFP/YONHAP]

Two of the six Korean players that had the chance to appear in the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League will advance to the knockout stage, with Lee Kang-in’s Paris Saint-Germain and Kim Min-jae’s Bayern Munich both punching a ticket to the Round of 16.

Oh Hyeon-gyu, Yang Hyun-jun and Kwon Hyeok-kyu of Celtic and Hwang In-beom of Red Star Belgrade — who did score against Manchester City in the final game on Wednesday — all head home empty-handed, finishing in last place and dropping out of European football completely for the remainder of the season.

Red Star Belgrade's Hwang In-beom celebrates scoring against Manchester City at Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia on Wednesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Lee started for PSG Wednesday as the Parisians held Dortmund to a 1-1 draw at the Westfalen Stadium in Dortmund, Germany, coming from behind to tie things up and scrape their way into the Round of 16.

It was a goalless first half at the Westfalen, but not for want of trying. Dortmund started strong but the momentum quickly swung in PSG’s favor. The Parisians peppered the goal with attempts from Lee, Mbappe, Vitinha, Barcola and Kolo Muani, with only Gregor Kobel’s skills in front of goal holding the onslaught off.

Lee had perhaps the best chance in the 16th minute, sending the ball wide after Kobel was wrong-footed. Mbappe sent one off the woodwork four minutes later, with Kolo Muani threading through the defense only to send it wide just four minutes after that.

Dortmund took back control at the top of the second half with a goal from Karim Adeyemi in the 51st, only for Warren Zaire-Emery to tie things up for PSG five minutes later. The deadlock continued through 90 minutes, a fitting if frustrating end to such a well-matched game.

The draw makes little difference to Dortmund, who were already guaranteed to advance at the top of the group, but lifts PSG through on eight points, beating AC Milan on goal difference alone.

In the UEFA Champions League, the top two teams in each group advance to the round of 16, with the third place team transferred to the Europa League where they automatically enter at the knockout stage. Only the fourth-place team — Celtic, Red Star Belgrade, Manchester United, Sevilla, Union Berlin, Red Bull Salzburg, Newcastle and Antwerp — are knocked out of UEFA competition completely for the season.

Kim’s Bayern Munich played their final group stage game against Man United a day earlier on Tuesday, winning 1-0 with only bragging rights on the line as their knockout stage spot was already secure.

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae, left, in action with Manchester United's Antony during a UEFA Champions League Group A game at Old Trafford in Manchester on Tuesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Kim played the full 90 minutes at center-back, a particularly good outing for the defense with just a single shot on target for United throughout the game. Kingsley Coman provided the sole goal in the 71st minute, assisted by Harry Kane.

Bayern top Group A with 16 points after winning five games and drawing one, double the tally for second-place Copenhagen on eight.

Alongside Dortmund, PSG, Bayern and Copenhagen, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Real Madrid, Napoli, Real Sociedad, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid, Lazio, Manchester City, RB Leipzig, Barcelona and Porto will advance to the Round of 16.

The draw for the Round of 16 will be held on Dec. 18.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]