Tim Weah Makes USMNT Historical past With a Champions League Aim at Actual Madrid

U.S. men’s national team forward Tim Weah ‘s goal wasn’t enough for Marseille as the French club lost 2-1 to Real Madrid in Champions League action. 

France superstar Kylian Mbappé had two penalty-kick goals to secure the win on Tuesday in the competition’s first match day of the season. 

Real Madrid were forced to play with 10 men for the final 18 minutes after Dan Carvajal was sent off after headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli.

Carvajal and Rulli were exchanging words in the area before a corner kick for Madrid when the defender moved closer to the goalkeeper and struck his face with his head. Video review eventually notified the referee, and he showed Carvajal the red card in the 72nd minute after watching the play by the sideline.

The game was tied 1-1 at the time of the incident. Mbappé, who had scored the equalizer from the penalty spot in the 29th minute, clinched it in the 81st minute. He now has 50 goals for Real Madrid across all competitions. 

Weah, who joined Marseille this summer after two seasons with Italian club Juventus, scored on Mason Greenwood’s run into the box to initially give his side the lead. Weah becomes the first ever U.S. international to score at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. It was also his first goal in the competition. 

Carvajal had entered the match in the fifth minute to replace the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. The England defender, who joined from Liverpool this summer, exited the game with an apparent muscle injury to his leg.

Teenage forward Franco Mastantuono became the youngest player to start for Real Madrid in the Champions League, according to UEFA. At 18 years, 33 days old, Mastantuono started the match. The Argentine forward beat the mark set last year by Brazil striker Endrick, who was 18 years, 73 days old when he started for Madrid against Lille.

Before that, Madrid’s youngest Champions League starter from group stage to final had been Raúl González, who was 18 years, 78 days old when he played against Ajax in 1995.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

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