FIFA Club World Cup: Real Madrid Defeats Dortmund, Set to Clash with PSG in Semifinals
In a thrilling Club World Cup quarterfinal match on Saturday, Kylian Mbappé’s stunning bicycle kick was part of three goals scored during second-half stoppage time, leading Real Madrid to a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a crucial fingertip save to deny Dortmund a potential equalizer on the final play of the game.
Real Madrid took an early advantage, with Gonzalo García and Fran García netting goals in the first 20 minutes, establishing a 2-0 lead. However, Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier found the back of the net three minutes into stoppage time, before Mbappé, who came on in the 67th minute, restored the two-goal cushion with his spectacular bicycle kick just one minute later. In the eighth minute of added time, Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty kick after being fouled by Dean Huijsen, who received a red card and will be absent for the semifinals. Courtois showcased his remarkable reach, tipping away a shot from Marcel Sabitzer just as the final whistle was about to blow.
With this win, Real Madrid moved on to face Champions League titleholders Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, one day after Chelsea plays against Brazilian club Fluminense. The match took place on a sunny afternoon in MetLife Stadium, where temperatures soared to 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) at kickoff.
Gonzalo García opened the scoring in the 10th minute, followed by Fran García’s goal in the 20th. At just 21 years old, Gonzalo García earned a starting position under Real Madrid’s new coach Xabi Alonso, surpassing Mbappé, who is still recovering from acute gastroenteritis. García is currently tied for the tournament lead with four goals, alongside Ángel Di María of Benfica and Marcos Leonardo of Al-Hilal.
Mbappé replaced Jude Bellingham, who missed the chance to play against his brother Jobe, as Jobe was suspended due to yellow-card accumulation. Madrid previously defeated Dortmund 2-0 in the 2024 Champions League final and pulled off an impressive comeback in this season’s league phase, winning 5-2 after trailing by two goals at halftime. Real Madrid has bested Dortmund in five consecutive matches and remains unbeaten in their last seven encounters since a Champions League quarterfinal loss in 2014.
Despite his efforts, American midfielder Gio Reyna did not take the field, wrapping up the tournament with a mere 13-minute appearance in five matches for Dortmund. The fixture attracted an impressive crowd of 76,611, filling MetLife Stadium, the venue for next year’s World Cup final, though one suite level was completely empty. A moment of silence was observed before kick-off in honor of Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically lost their lives in a car accident on Thursday betso88 free 100. lbc tracking customer service philippines
Real Madrid will now prepare for their semifinal showdown against PSG, making this a highly anticipated clash in the tournament.
Key Moment
Thibaut Courtois’ crucial save at the end of the match ensured Madrid’s victory.
Takeaways
Recent renovations to the stadium removed seats from the corners, creating a wider playing field of 74 by 114 yards (68 by 105 meters) compared to previous Copa America tournaments held in 2016 and 2024 e sabong app download.
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