Champions League: Weston McKennie the hero Schalke
October 3, 2018
Lokomotiv Moscow 0-1 Schalke
(McKennie 88')
Schalke snatched their first Champions League victory since 2015 thanks to Weston McKennie's late header. The goal was the American international's first ever Champions League goal and it keeps Schalke undefeated in Group D.
Despite dominating the second half in the Russian capital, the game looked to be heading for a frustrating goalless draw for the Royal Blues, until the 20-year-old Texan rose above his marker to head home Yevhen Konoplyanka's corner.
McKennie was one of six changes that coach Domenico Tedesco made to the side that picked up its first Bundesliga points of the season against Mainz at the weekend, with Omar Mascarell also making his first Schalke start.
Hamza Mendyl kept his place at left-back and the Moroccan provided some early impulse for the Royal Blues in the Moscow rain, but the first big chance of the game fell to the hosts when winger Anton Miranchuk cut the ball back from the right but Dmitri Barinov's shot was well saved by Ralf Fährmann.
Magic McKennie
At the other end, Mark Uth twice had came close but saw a half-volley blocked before snapping another shot wide as the first half ended goalless.
Tedesco rang the changes in midfield at the start of the second half, replacing the disappointing Mascarell and Sebastian Rudy with Suat Serdar and Nabil Bentaleb. As the hosts, including former Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes, sat back, Schalke started to take control.
Konoplyanka, Bentaleb and Salif Sane all tried their luck from range, before Uth turned well and fired just wide in the closing stages. It was the closest Schalke had come to taking the lead, until McKennie lept in the six yard box to send the 1,000 traveling fans from Gelsenkirchen wild.
Champions League Results:
Group A:
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Club Brugge
Group B:
PSV 1-2 Inter Milan
Tottenham 2-4 Barcelona
Group C:
Napoli 1-0 Liverpool
PSG 6-1 Red Star Belgrade
Group D:
Porto 1-0 Galatasaray
Lokomotiv Moscow 0-1 Schalke