Lamine Yamal scored his first ever Champions League goal at the perfect time for Barcelona.
The Catalans went down to ten men in their opening Champions League fixture against Monaco after Eric García was sent off in the 10th minute. The midfielder received a straight red card after denying Takumi Minamino a clear goalscoring opportunity at the edge of the box.
The hosts then found the game's opening goal to go up 1–0 in front of a packed Stade Louis II. Barcelona looked well out of the game until Yamal delivered a moment of individual class to find the equalizer for his side.
The winger stayed just onside to receive a ball over the top, bumping Vanderson to give himself enough space to streak forward. Yamal dribbled along the edge of the box before sending a left-footed strike past Philipp Köhn into the back of the net.
17-year-old Lamine Yamal opens his Champions League account 🌟 pic.twitter.com/FdAAxH7Avz
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) September 19, 2024
The goal marks Yamal's fourth in six matches. Last weekend against Girona, the 17-year-old became the youngest player in La Liga history to record a first-half brace. He also already has four assists in Barcelona's 2024–25 Spanish campaign.
The teenager did not become the youngest ever goalscorer in the Champions League, though. Barcelona's Ansu Fati still holds the record when he scored the winner for Barcelona against Inter Milan in the 2019–20 Champions League. Fati was 17 years old and 40 days while Yamal is 17 years old and 68 days.
Barcelona went into the locker room level with Monaco thanks to Yamal's heroics.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona's Lamine Yamal Scores First Champions League Goal.
