Kim Ki-hee played as a center-back for Seattle Sounders in the first match of Group B against Botafogo (Brazil) at Lumen Field in Washington State, USA, on 16th (Korea time). He was involved in two critical goals conceded during the first half and was substituted at the start of the second half.
The first goal conceded occurred in the 28th minute of the first half during a free-kick situation gained by Botafogo from the right side. A cross sharply delivered by Alex Telles was finished with a header by Jair Paulo right in front of the goal. Kim Ki-hee failed to compete in the aerial duel with Paulo, providing the opportunity for the goal.
Then, in the 44th minute of the first half, Igor Jesus connected with a header to the cross delivered from the right by Vitinho, scoring an additional goal. In this scene, Kim Ki-hee was helpless in the competition with Jesus, leading to another goal.
Both failures in aerial duels directly led to goals conceded, and ultimately Kim Ki-hee was substituted at the end of the first half. It is unusual for a center-back to be substituted at halftime without any specific injury or fitness issues. The soccer statistics media 'Fotmob' assigned Kim Ki-hee the lowest rating in the match, 5.6 points.
Seattle made a comeback in the 31st minute of the second half with a goal from Cristian Roldan but ended up losing 2-1 without being able to turn the match around. This defeat has raised red flags for passing the group stage in Group B. Seattle is in the 'group of death' along with Lee Kang-in's Paris Saint-Germain (France) and Atletico Madrid (Spain). Considering that Botafogo, the first opponent, was regarded as the easiest competitor, the remaining two matches present an even steeper uphill battle.
Meanwhile, Kim Ki-hee stirred controversy by posting a message on his social media that appeared to target his former team Ulsan HD ahead of the tournament. He attached a phrase "intelligent escape" to a photo taken with players he played with at Ulsan.
When fans questioned the meaning of the post, he responded that "escape is intelligent," further escalating the controversy. Kim Ki-hee has been criticized for what was perceived as a mocking expression toward his 'home team' as a former captain of Ulsan.
Now Seattle is set to face Atletico Madrid on the 20th and PSG on the 24th in the remaining group matches. Attention is particularly drawn to the possibility of a 'Korean derby' between Lee Kang-in and Kim Ki-hee in the match against PSG. However, considering Kim Ki-hee's shocking performance in the first match and the impact of his substitution, his participation in the subsequent matches is uncertain.
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