Fri Sep 20 00:07:30 UTC 2024: ## Young Star Yamal’s Debut Goal Not Enough as Barcelona Fall to Monaco in Champions League Opener
Monaco defeated Barcelona 2-1 in a thrilling Champions League opener on Thursday, despite a historic goal from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
Yamal, at just 17 years and 68 days old, became the second-youngest goalscorer in UEFA Champions League history, scoring a powerful strike from 20 yards out. This marked his first goal in the competition, exactly a year after his Champions League debut.
However, the match was a difficult one for Barcelona, who saw Eric García receive a red card in the 10th minute, their earliest red card ever in the competition. Monaco took advantage of the numerical superiority, with Maghnes Akliouche opening the scoring shortly after the red card.
Monaco continued to dominate the match and secured the victory in the second half through a goal from George Ilenikhena. At 18 years and 34 days old, Ilenikhena became Monaco’s youngest ever UCL goalscorer, surpassing Kylian Mbappé’s previous record.
The loss marks a disappointing start for new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, who was hoping to continue his winning streak after six consecutive victories.
For more detailed statistics and analysis from the match, visit our Monaco vs Barcelona Opta match center.
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