USMNT Hopeful Ricardo Pepi Matches Cristiano Ronaldo’s Champions League Clutch Goal Record
Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero once shared an impressive record for clutch goals in the Champions League. Now, a new name has joined this elite group: Ricardo Pepi, a men’s national team (USMNT) hopeful.
On Tuesday evening, Pepi scored his third decisive stoppage-time goal in Europe’s premier club competition, securing a 1–1 draw for PSV Eindhoven in the 93rd minute against Olympiacos.
Ricardo Pepi’s Clutch Performance in Europe
Pepi is known for delivering crucial goals in high-pressure situations on the European stage:
- His first Champions League goal was a 92nd-minute winner against Sevilla in November 2023, just 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute, helping PSV overturn a two-goal deficit.
- In last season’s group stage, after PSV trailed 2–0 to Shakhtar Donetsk, Malik Tillman scored twice late in normal time, then Pepi scored again in the 95th minute to complete the comeback.
Unmatched Record in Champions League History
Since the Champions League adopted its modern format 33 years ago, no player has scored more than Pepi’s three second-half stoppage-time goals that dramatically changed the outcome of matches, according to Opta.
"In the 33-year history of the Champions League in its modern format, no player can better Pepi’s tally of three goals in second-half stoppage time which positively changed the result." — Opta
Summary
Ricardo Pepi has emerged as a clutch scorer in the Champions League, matching legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Agüero with his remarkable ability to score decisive late goals for PSV Eindhoven.
Author’s summary: Ricardo Pepi has joined an elite group by scoring three winning stoppage-time goals in the Champions League, a feat unmatched in the competition's modern era.