USMNT’s Weston McKennie helps Juventus seal brilliant winner as 10-man team stun RB Leipzig in UEFA Champions League

U.S. international Weston McKennie played a significant role in helping a 10-man Juventus stun RB Leipzig 3-2 in the UEFA Champions League Wednesday.

Tied 2-2 with eight minutes left in regulation, McKennie made an incredible sliding tackle in the middle of the pitch to win the ball and start a Juventus counter-attack. The ball eventually landed at the feet of winger Francisco Conceicao, who, with some miraculous footwork, beat two defenders to slide the ball into the back of the net, scoring the winning goal over RB Leipzig.

McKennie started the match and played all 90 minutes and stoppage, helping the Bianconeri to a brilliant victory off the back of Conceicao’s effort and a brace from striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Fellow U.S. winger Tim Weah did not play in this match.

The USMNT star, who was selected to be a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s first-ever U.S. roster Wednesday morning, played a brilliant match for the Bianconeri on Wednesday.

Leipzig opened the scoring through forward Benjamin Sesko, but Juve’s Vlahovic responded with a cheeky flick-on goal early in the second half. However, the tide quickly shifted in the Bundesliga side’s favor in the 59th minute when goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio was sent-off for handling outside the box.

Leipzig scored a go-ahead penalty kick in the 65th minute to take a 2-1 lead, but Juve refused to give up.

Vlahovic netted his second with a brilliant curling strike three minutes later to draw level, and in the 85th minute, McKennie and Conceicao combined for the winner in a result to remember.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  This was McKennie’s fourth-straight start across all competitions, including his second in UCL competition. He has factored into goals scored in both European matches, scoring against PSV on Matchday1 and winning the ball and starting the counter-attack for their winner Wednesday against Leipzig.

• AFP

  WHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE AND JUVENTUS?

  Juventus return to Serie A action this weekend before the international break arrives. They’ll clash with Cagliari on Sunday before McKennie and teammate Tim Weah depart to represent the U.S. men’s national team in a pair of international friendlies against Panama and Mexico.