Real Madrid staged a resilient fightback to overcome Borussia Dortmund 3–2 in a thrilling Club World Cup quarter-final at MetLife Stadium, battling past a late resurgence to secure a semi-final spot against PSG. Here’s the full story:
Early Control — Madrid’s Strong Start
Real Madrid dominated early play, stamping their authority with a two-goal lead before the half-hour mark:
- Gonzalo opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a powerful close-range volley from an Arda Guler cross, continuing his breakout tournament form.
- Just 10 minutes later, left-back Fran García doubled Madrid’s advantage, turning in a pinpoint low delivery from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Despite dominant possession and several missed opportunities—particularly from Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Jr., and Aurélien Tchouaméni, who rattled the crossbar—Real looked firmly in control through the sweltering conditions of New Jersey.
Chaos in Stoppage Time
What followed was eight spectacular minutes of drama:
- 93′ – Substitute Maximilian Beier gave Dortmund hope, pouncing on a rebound to reduce the gap to 2–1.
- 94′ – Minutes later, Kylian Mbappé unleashed a stunning volley to restore Madrid’s two-goal cushion.
- 95′ – Dortmund refused to relent. Serhou Guirassy was brought down in the box by Dean Huijsen, who received a straight red card, and calmly converted the penalty to make it 3–2.
- 99′ – In the final moments, a brilliant save from Thibaut Courtois denied Marcel Sabitzer, securing Real’s narrow win.
Manager’s Take
Coach Xabi Alonso acknowledged the late lapse:
“We were doing really well … the match looked under control but then in the last 10 minutes things got crazy… We have lost a little bit our focus and intensity when we didn’t have the ball…”.
Despite the scare and Huijsen’s red card ruling him out of the semi-final, Alonso commended the team’s resilient performance overall.
What Comes Next
- Madrid’s hard-fought victory sets up a blockbuster semi-final against PSG, who dispatched Bayern Munich 2–0 earlier in the day .
- Fatigue and intensity in tight finishes raise questions about squad rotation as the tournament progresses.
Final Takeaway
Real Madrid’s quarter-final win was a tale of early dominance, a stop-start thriller, and psychological grit. Their lineup, under hot conditions and mounting pressure, ultimately held firm—courtesy of Gonzalo and Fran García’s early strikes, Mbappé’s eye-catching volley, and a last-minute save from Courtois.
They now turn their attention to PSG in what promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated semi-finals in Club World Cup history.
