On This Day in 2025, the Striker Scored Against Liverpool in the Champions League Before Injury Ended His Breakthrough Season
The 2024-25 campaign had been a revelation for Ricardo Pepi. After years of searching for his footing in Europe—bouncing from Augsburg to Groningen—the El Paso native had finally found his rhythm at PSV Eindhoven. Under Peter Bosz, the 22-year-old striker was flourishing in a way few had anticipated when he arrived in the Netherlands.
By late January, Pepi had netted 16 goals across all competitions, most coming off the bench. His clinical finishing and tireless movement had made him an invaluable weapon for the Eredivisie champions, even if veteran Luuk de Jong remained the traditional starter. The goals kept flowing—in the league, in cup competitions, in the Champions League—and suddenly, the forward who had struggled to find minutes in Germany was making himself indispensable to one of Europe's most historic clubs.
PSV's season had been a study in contrasts. They dominated domestically through autumn, dropping just six points in their first 17 league matches while maintaining a comfortable lead at the top of the Eredivisie. But the new year brought turbulence. A draw with AZ Alkmaar, a shock loss at Zwolle, and a nerve-wracking extra-time escape against second-tier Excelsior had revealed cracks in their armor. Still, they sat top of the table with Ajax lurking just four points behind, and their Champions League campaign had secured passage to the knockout rounds.
On January 29, PSV would host Liverpool at the Philips Stadion in the final matchday of the league phase. For Liverpool, the fixture carried little weight—Arne Slot's side had already won their first seven matches and secured a top-two finish, guaranteeing passage straight to the Round of 16. The Dutchman, making his first return to the Netherlands since leaving Feyenoord, rested virtually his entire first team. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold watched from the stands as a lineup featuring teenagers and reserves took the field.
For PSV, the stakes were different but equally manageable. 14th place and a playoff berth were all but assured, yet pride demanded a performance. Playing against a Liverpool side that had steamrolled through Europe with ruthless efficiency—even in weakened form—represented an opportunity to make a statement before the knockout rounds began.
The match exploded into life immediately. Cody Gakpo, the former PSV star, gave Liverpool the lead from the penalty spot after Joey Veerman's clumsy challenge on Federico Chiesa. The goal stung, but PSV responded with purpose. In the 35th minute, Pepi orchestrated the equalizer. Receiving the ball in the attacking third, the American chested a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Johan Bakayoko, who turned Jarell Quansah and Robertson inside out before curling an unstoppable finish past Caoimhín Kelleher. The Philips Stadion erupted. Pepi's vision and composure had unlocked the defense, his assist a reminder of the complete forward he was becoming.
Liverpool struck back through Harvey Elliott, capitalizing on Walter Benítez's parry to restore the visitors' advantage. But PSV refused to retreat. Ismael Saibari lashed home a powerful equalizer after Liverpool failed to deal with Tygo Land's dispossession of Wataru Endo, and suddenly the momentum belonged entirely to the hosts.
Then came Pepi's moment. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Mauro Júnior drove into the Liverpool area and whipped a low cross toward the penalty spot. The delivery deflected off Conor Bradley, changing direction and sailing toward the far post. Pepi reacted instantly, stretching to get the faintest touch on the ball. It was enough. The ball diverted into the net, and PSV led 3-2. The Philips Stadion shook with noise as Pepi wheeled away in celebration, his teammates mobbing him near the corner flag.
The goal—his 17th of the season—had been the product of pure instinct, the kind of striker's anticipation that separates good forwards from great ones. Liverpool threatened in the second half, but PSV defended resolutely, content to protect their advantage against a makeshift opponent. When substitute Amara Nallo received a straight red card in the 87th minute for denying Bakayoko a clear scoring chance, any remaining tension evaporated. PSV held on. Final score: PSV Eindhoven 3, Liverpool 2.
For Liverpool, defeat mattered little. Barcelona's draw with Atalanta confirmed Slot's side as the league phase table's top team, setting up a Round of 16 clash with whichever team emerged from the playoffs. For PSV, it was validation—proof they belonged among Europe's elite, even if the playoff round awaited.
For Pepi, it should have been the launching pad for something greater. Instead, it became an ending.
In the 76th minute, before Liverpool's late red card, Pepi had been forced off with a knee injury. The initial diagnosis brought relief—no ACL damage—but further tests revealed meniscus damage severe enough to require surgery. The recovery timeline ranged from one to three months, potentially longer. PSV's knockout tie against Juventus or Feyenoord would proceed without him. The United States' Concacaf Nations League semifinals in March would go on without their hottest striker.
The injury ended Pepi's season. 17 goals in all competitions—one fewer than team captain Luuk de Jong, despite playing significantly fewer minutes—represented his best professional campaign by far. The forward who had arrived in Eindhoven seeking confidence had become one of the Eredivisie's most dangerous attackers, a player clubs across Europe were beginning to monitor closely. West Ham submitted an official bid hours after the Liverpool match; PSV rejected it immediately.
By July, Pepi was nearing full fitness, the long months of rehabilitation nearly complete. He had taken over de Jong's vacant No. 9 shirt, a symbolic passing of the torch that carried expectations he welcomed. "No one has more expectations on me than myself," he told reporters, his focus already fixed on the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
That night against Liverpool—a goal, an assist, a statement performance on the Champions League stage before 35,000 roaring fans—would stand as both a peak and a pause. The Texas-born striker had shown he could deliver in the moments that mattered most, against opposition of the highest caliber, with everything on the line. The injury may have stolen the rest of his season, but it couldn't erase what he had proven: Pepi belonged at this level, and American soccer had another player ready to compete with Europe's best.