U.S. men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun scored his first Champions League goal with a pinpoint finish at Aspmyra Stadion on Tuesday.
Balogun, who got the nod for Monaco against Bodø/Glimt, bagged the only goal of the tightly contested affair in Norway. The 24-year-old fired a left-footed strike from a tight angle into the roof of the net to secure all three points for the visitors.
Monaco were in desperate need of a Champions League victory after starting their campaign with two draws and one defeat. Balogun rose to the occasion to deliver the 1–0 victory while also ticking off his own career milestone.
The winner was the first time the American forward found the back of the net on Europe’s biggest stage. It took Balogun seven Champions League appearances to get on the scoresheet.
FOLARIN BALOGUN GETS HIS FIRST #UCL GOAL FROM THE TIGHTEST OF ANGLES 📐🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/RJqmYdmopU
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 4, 2025
The win saw Monaco move up to 18th in the Champions League league phase standings with five points. The French outfit is no longer in the elimination places and can potentially continue their climb up the table when they face off with Pafos on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Monaco will hope to all-but secure their place in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs before they must make the trip to the Santiago Bernabéu to play Real Madrid in January.
Balogun Hoping to Translate His Club Form to the USMNT
Balogun has gotten his 2025–26 campaign off to a solid start. Despite playing inconsistent minutes for both Monaco and the USMNT, the striker has recorded six goals in 17 appearances for club and country this season.
In fact, since returning from the October international window, where he scored the Stars and Stripes’ lone goal in their 1–1 draw with Ecuador, Balogun has found the back of the net three times at the club level.
The No. 9 will hope to ride his goalscoring momentum into the November international break as he works to lock down the starting striker role for the USMNT ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Balogun faces competition from Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright, who bagged a brace in the Stars and Stripes’ 2–1 victory over Australia.
The Monaco man will have the opportunity to make a statement to Mauricio Pochettino when the USMNT takes on Paraguay and Uruguay in upcoming weeks.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT Star Achieves Long-Awaited Champions League Milestone in Style.
