Christian Pulisic scores in Chelsea win, Weston McKennie breaks foot 02/23/2022

There was good news and bad news on the U.S. national team front on Tuesday.

Both Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie had excellent performances for their teams in the UEFA Champions League.

Pulisic capped his evening with the second goal for defending champion Chelsea in its 2-0 win over French champion Lille.

But at the same minute Pulisic exited the Blues’ match at Stamford Bridge on a high note, McKennie was injured in Juventus’ match at Villarreal. He had to be subbed following a bad challenge from Villarreal’s Pervis Estupinan along the sidelines.

After the 1-1 draw, multiple media sources reported that McKennie suffered two fractures to bones in his left foot, and he will be sidelined 8-12 weeks, which will rule him out of the USA’s decisive March window in World Cup 2022 qualifying.

Pulisic finished off a Chelsea counterattack, streaking down the left channel to take a pass from French star N’Golo Kante and slotting the ball with an angled shot inside the far post. It was his sixth goal in the Champions League, adding to his U.S. record, and his first since the first leg of the 2021 semifinals at Real Madrid.

“When N’Golo is driving like that,” said Pulisic afterward, “it’s just a question of keeping up with him, and I managed to do that and finish it off.”

Weston McKennie has suffered a fracture to his second and third metatarsal in his left foot in Juve’s #UCL tie against Villarreal.

CBS Sports has been told initial scans took place immediately after the game and McKennie must wear a protective boot. pic.twitter.com/oZdprB4t0j

— CBS Sports Golazo  (@CBSSportsGolazo) February 22, 2022

The Villarreal game was McKennie’s 27th of the season with Juventus in all competitions.

He began his second season in Italy with question marks about his future, but he won new Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri over to the point that Juve discarded Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur and Aaron Ramsey to fund the acquisitions of Dusan Vlahovic and Denis Zakaria.

On Tuesday, Vlahovic scored after just 33 seconds, setting a record for the fastest goal to start a Champions League.

Photo: PA Wire via ZUMA Press/ISI Photos