FC Schalke 04

US teenager McKennie makes 1st Bundesliga start for Schalke

Published Sep. 19, 2017 8:08 p.m. ET

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) American teenager Weston McKennie made his first Bundesliga start for Schalke in the side's 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old Texan midfielder, who played 22 minutes in substitute appearances during wins over Leipzig and Stuttgart, covered 4.05 miles (6.51 kilometers) in the first half alone, more than any other player.

With the side two goals down, McKennie made way for forward Breel Embolo in the 58th minute as Schalke went all out in attack.

McKennie made his Bundesliga debut on the final day last season in May, after he had impressed with Schalke's under-19s. He scored four goals and set up three more in 19 league appearances for the under-19s.

McKennie spent three years as a child in Kaiserslautern, where his father was based, and he opted to return to Germany last year when the chance emerged at Schalke despite the offer of a homegrown player contract with FC Dallas.

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