According to Nielsen Korea, the episode of SBS's 'Kick a Goal' aired on the 18th recorded a household rating of 5.4% (based on the metropolitan area), and a 2.2% rating among the key demographic of ages 20 to 49, making it the number one Wednesday night entertainment show. Notably, the moment leading to the penalty shootout, featuring Woo Hee-jun's miraculous equalizing goal, saw a peak minute rating soar to 6.7%.
In this episode, 'Wonder Women' faced a dilemma as their regular goalkeeper, Kisum, suffered a finger fracture, receiving a prognosis of six weeks for recovery. Kisum shared, "I got injured during personal practice the day after our last game. It will take six weeks to remove the metal pin and about two months for rehabilitation," expressing her disappointment. Consequently, Coach Jo Jae-jin decided to test Mashima, Woo Hee-jun, and Kim So-hee for the goalkeeper position.
Contrary to Coach Lee Young-pyo's expectation of Woo Hee-jun as the goalkeeper, Coach Jo Jae-jin chose Mashima for her build-up skills from the field. Coach Jo explained, "The soccer I envision starts with building up from the back, and I needed a player with stable catching abilities, which is why I chose Mashima as our goalkeeper."
Before the game started, commentator Bae Sung-jae joked, "I'm leaving for my honeymoon tomorrow. If we go to a penalty shootout, I won't have time to pack tonight," eliciting laughter. Commentator Lee Geun-ho playfully responded, "I hope we get to see a shootout just for today," teasing Bae and adding to the humor.
The game began with both teams locked in a tight contest. 'Nine Cheok Giants' scored the opening goal with Heo Kyung-hee's breakthrough and Cha Seo-rin's finish, leading 1-0 within the first 10 minutes. 'Nine Cheok Giants' also had a chance for an additional goal in the second half but it was ultimately disallowed after video review.
In the final moments of the second half, 'Wonder Women's Woo Hee-jun scored a fast breakaway goal into an empty net, creating a dramatic tie. This moment, capturing the 'best minute' with a peak rating of 6.7%, led the match to a penalty shootout.
During the shootout, goalkeeper Mashima shone brightly, blocking consecutive shots from 'Nine Cheok Giants' Kim Jin-kyung and Heo Kyung-hee, saving the team from the brink. Mashima had confidently stated before the game, "I'll block goals well and aim to score whenever possible. My goal is to score two goals myself," truly proving her worth in crucial moments.
Ultimately, 'Wonder Women' succeeded in scoring all their penalty shots, defeating 'Nine Cheok Giants' in a thrilling comeback victory. After the game, 'Nine Cheok Giants' captain Lee Hyun and goalkeeper Heo Kyung-hee were seen shedding tears, with Heo expressing, "Everyone gave their all until the very end. Today, 'Nine Cheok Giants' were at their best. Today's loss is all on me," showing remorse.
'Kick a Goal' airs every Wednesday night at 9 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)