United States forward Folarin Balogun made an immediate impact in Monaco’s Champions League playoff match against Paris Saint-Germain, scoring just 55 seconds into the game to put his team ahead.
Balogun followed up with a second goal seventeen minutes later, achieving a notable milestone as the first U.S. player to score a brace in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Unfortunately for Balogun and Monaco, their early lead didn’t hold up, as PSG came back to win 3-2, with two goals from Désiré Doué and another from Achraf Hakimi. Additionally, Monaco faced a setback when Aleksandr Golovin received a red card early in the second half.
“It was a positive start. If someone had told us we’d be 2-0 up within 20 minutes, we’d have accepted that,” Balogun remarked. “However, it’s not how you start, but how you finish. We’re a bit frustrated, but we’re still in the tie and need to focus on the second leg.”
Balogun’s first goal marked Monaco’s quickest score in Champions League history. His second goal tied him with Christian Pulisic for the most goals by a U.S. player in a single UCL campaign, both having scored four. Pulisic achieved this feat while playing for AC Milan during the 2024-25 season.
Balogun is now one of two U.S. internationals, alongside Pulisic, to reach ten goals this season across all competitions while playing for clubs in Europe’s top five leagues.
Heading into the match, PSG faced pressure after suffering their sixth defeat of the season, which resulted in them slipping from first in Ligue 1. Following the loss, star striker Ousmane Dembélé expressed concerns regarding his teammates’ attitudes.
PSG head coach Luis Enrique responded to Dembélé’s comments, stating that players’ remarks after disappointing performances were “worthless.”
The second leg is scheduled for next Wednesday at Parc des Princes, where the winner will advance to the round of 16.
Last season, PSG triumphed with a 10-0 aggregate victory against Brest in the playoffs.
While PSG is a heavy favorite to progress, Balogun is optimistic about an upset. “It would be a mistake to think the tie is over,” he said. “The key is to start strong. If we score first, we’ll be level, and the tie is definitely still alive.”
Information from The Associated Press.