Karl, 17, breaks Bayern record with goal in 1st Champions League start

MUNICH (AP) — Seventeen-year-old Lennart Karl was handed his first Champions League start and made the most of it.

Within five minutes of kickoff against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Karl became Bayern’s youngest Champions League goalscorer in style, breaking a record set by Jamal Musiala.

Karl picked up a pass in midfield from Jonathan Tah, dodged past defender Brandon Mechele and surged to the edge of the Brugge box before hitting a swerving left-foot shot which went in over goalkeeper Nordin Jackers.

Karl sprinted to the corner to celebrate with a knee slide before Bayern striker Harry Kane and midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic rushed over to hug their young teammate. The Munich crowd gave Karl a standing ovation when he was substituted in the 69th minute.

Karl’s goal set Bayern on course for a 4-0 win featuring two other landmark goals. Kane scored his 20th of the season in all competitions with a tap-in off a Konrad Laimer cross, before Luis Díaz scored in the Champions League for Bayern for the first time since signing from Liverpool. Nicolas Jackson made it 4-0 on a rebound in the 79th minute.

Bayern becomes one of five teams in the league stage to win all three of its games so far.

At 17 years, 242 days old, Karl broke a record set by Musiala, who was 121 days older when he scored against Lazio in a round-of-16 game four years ago, UEFA said.

Karl wears the same shirt number, 42, that Musiala wore in that game.

It’s Karl’s first senior club goal in his 10th Bayern appearance in all competitions. He made his debut at the Club World Cup in a 10-0 thrashing of Auckland City in June.

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