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With one goal, Christian Pulisic made a ton of history and kickstarted his own hype machine.
Pulisic took Real Madrid’s defenders to school and scored the opening goal of Chelsea’s Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid, and in the process became the first American men’s player to score in the Champions League semifinals.
He’s also, per TruMedia stats whiz Paul Carr, the first U.S. men’s international with multiple Champions League knockout stage goals, the first to score against Real Madrid in any competition, and the country’s all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, with his five goals surpassing Sacha Kljestan‘s four.
Watch Pulisic systematically deconstruct Real Madrid with a flurry of touches and a precise finish (via CBS Sports):
Questions about Pulisic’s ability have been largely extinguished by his play, especially last summer when the Premier League resumed following the coronavirus hiatus. The 22-year-old’s problem has been his health, having recently returned from yet another injury spell. When he’s fit, he’s one of Chelsea’s most effective players, plain and simple.
Karim Benzema later equalized for Real Madrid, and the semifinal first leg is tied 1-1, with the return fixture in London next Wednesday.
This post will be updated.
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