US soccer sees historic day in the Champions League

This Tuesday, the UEFA Champions League 2024-25 returned to action, bringing thrilling matches and a historic milestone for the United States.

An unprecedented nine American players participated in the world‘s premier club competition on the same day. Here’s who stood out:

At the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah started for AC Milan in their drubbing over Real Madrid.

Pulisic adds to strong goal contribution tally

Pulisic, captain of the USMNT, made a significant impact, providing an assist for Malick Thiaw’s opening goal in the 12th minute. Musah, playing in a central role, delivered a solid performance before being substituted in the 93rd minute.

Malik Tillman and Ricardo Pepi were instrumental in PSV Eindhoven’s commanding 4-0 victory over Girona. Tillman, starting in Peter Bosz’s lineup, was named MVP for his three goal contributions, scoring once and assisting twice. Pepi, the Mexican-American striker, saw limited time, entering as a substitute for Luuk de Jong in the 85th minute.

Also in action for Celtic FC were Cameron Carter-Vickers and Austin Trusty, who formed the central defensive pairing in a 3-1 win over RB Leipzig in Glasgow. Both defenders played crucial roles in limiting the German side to just one goal, helping Celtic secure a comeback victory at home.

Elsewhere, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, key players for Juventus under Thiago Motta, began as substitutes in the match against Lille. Juventus managed to secure a draw thanks to a late goal from Dušan Vlahović, with McKennie and Weah entering the game in the 68th minute.

Completing this historic day was Cole Campbell, an 18-year-old winger who continues to gain experience with Borussia Dortmund. He came on in the 77th minute as Dortmund edged out Sturm Graz 1-0 at Signal Iduna Park, with Donyell Malen scoring the decisive goal in the 85th minute.