LISBON — The American midfielder Tyler Adams scored on a deflected shot in the 88th minute on Thursday to lead RB Leipzig, a team founded in 2009, into the Champions League semifinals for the first time.
Adams’s goal, on a shot from the top of the penalty area that deflected off Atlético defender Stefan Savic and past goalkeeper Jan Oblak, gave RB Leipzig a 2-1 victory.
Tyler Adams does it!!
The American man puts Leipzig up 2-1 with minutes remaining! pic.twitter.com/HShBjxNXGz
— Champions League on CBS Sports (@UCLonCBSSports) August 13, 2020
“I was told that I wasn’t going to start but I needed to be ready to come off the bench and make an impact,” Adams said. “I had to get myself in the right mind-set to come out and help the team in any way possible.”
RB Leipzig, founded 11 years ago with investment from the energy-drink maker Red Bull, will face the French champion Paris St.-Germain, which stunned Italy’s Atalanta with a similarly dramatic, late goal on Wednesday, in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Dani Olmo opened the scoring for RB Leipzig in the 51st minute before João Félix equalized for Atlético from the penalty spot in the 71st.
The result ended yet another title run for Atlético Madrid, which was seen as a heavy favorite to reach the semifinals but again will endure a disappointing elimination. Manager Diego Simeone’s team knocked out Liverpool, the defending champion, in the round of 16 and was looking to return to the last four for the first time since 2017.
The Champions League, which normally ends in late May, is finishing the competition amid the coronavirus pandemic with closed-door tournament in Lisbon. The final will take place on Aug. 23.
