USA youth international Gio Reyna made a slice of history on his UEFA Champions League debut in Borussia Dortmund’s last-16 first leg win over Paris Saint-Germain.
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Reyna replaced Thorgan Hazard midway through the second half at the Signal Iduna Park, and had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes when he slid a cute ball into the path of teenaged teammate Erling Haaland, who smashed in a brilliant goal from 18 yards to seal a priceless 2-1 victory.
Aged 17 years, three months and five days, Reyna usurps Christian Pulisic not only as as the youngest Dortmund player to feature in the Champions League, but the greenest American to play and assist a goal in the tournament annals.
Reyna only joined Dortmund in summer 2019, but represented the seniors on their pre-season US tour and duly made a seamless transition to European football with the U19s. The England-born midfielder registered four goals and seven assists in 11 U19 Bundesliga games, as well as four goals and one assist in four UEFA Youth League outings, during the first half of 2019/20.
The England-born playmaker’s reward was a permanent place in the first team, where his stock continues to rise – even in the shadow Haaland. The former New York City FC starlet has already made five substitute appearances in the Bundesliga, becoming the youngest American to play in the German top flight. He also netted a debut DFB Cup goal from the bench in the last-16 defeat to Werder Bremen. His assist against PSG was his first for the pros.
Reyna – whose father, Claudio, played for the USMNT, Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Glasgow Rangers, Sunderland, Manchester City and New York Red Bulls – could make his full Bundesliga debut when Dortmund travel to Bremen at the weekend.
