(Football news) Yamal continued to play on the right flank for the champions since Robert Lewandowski’s ankle sprain prevented him from switching to the left. Joao Felix played on the left, and Ferran Torres operated in the center.
With less than a minute remaining, Lucas Boye sneaked past Bryan Zaragoza to bury a low attempt beneath Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s arm, putting the Blaugrana’s unblemished record for the season in risk. The Blaugrana entered Sunday’s matchup still unbeaten on all fronts.
The Blaugrana quickly found themselves in trouble when Zaragoza doubled his tally in spectacular fashion with 29 minutes remaining, becoming the earliest La Liga goal that Barca had given up in the twenty-first century.
Zaragoza was set free by erard Gumbau after he received the ball on the half turn within his own half. Zaragoza expertly avoided Jules Kounde and took down Ter Stegen before confidently reaching the roof of the net.
Following Kounde’s forced exit, Barcelona’s woes only got worse. However, Yamal ignited a comeback on the final play of the half when he met Felix’s pass to the back post for a straightforward tap-in.
Yamal broke the record for the earliest player to score in Spain’s top division by only 11 days as he prodded the ball home from less than a yard away.
Fabrice Olinga, a former Malaga player who is currently a Botosani striker, was 16 years and 98 days old in 2012 when he scored for the former team, but the Cameroonian has since lost the record after 11 years.
Yamal, who made his debut for Barcelona as a 15-year-old in April, has already broken numerous records during his brief career. The goal he scored on Sunday was just one of them.
The attacker, who was born in 2007, also made history by being the youngest player to ever play and score for Spain in a 7-1 thumping of Georgia in a Euro 2024 qualifying match last month. In August, two assists against Villarreal made him the youngest player to record a goal contribution in La Liga.
Soon after signing a new three-year contract with a €1bn (£864.6m) release clause, Yamal also made history by becoming the youngest player to start a Champions League match for Barcelona in last week’s 1-0 victory against Porto.
Barca eventually tied the game in the 85th minute when a close-range Sergi Roberto drive hit goalkeeper Andre Ferreira and crept over the line. Yamal’s historic goal came at the best time for Barca.
After a 2-2 draw with Granada, Barcelona is now third in the La Liga standings going into the international break, where Yamal will play for Spain in Euro 2024 qualification matches against Scotland and Norway.
Also read: Arsenal defeat Manchester City 1-0
