European giants Real Madrid survived a dramatic late scare to book their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals on Saturday, securing a nail-biting 3-2 victory over a resilient Borussia Dortmund at the MetLife Stadium.
The Spanish titans, boasting 15 UEFA Champions League titles, were cruising for much of the encounter before a frantic stoppage-time period threatened to derail their campaign.
Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia were the heroes of the first half, striking crucial goals to put Real Madrid in a commanding position.
The “Los Blancos” faithful, many of whom have followed the club passionately from Kenya, were enjoying a seemingly comfortable ride.
However, Maximilian Beier’s goal early in second-half stoppage time injected a sudden jolt of tension into the match.
Just a minute later, star forward Kylian Mbappe, making his tournament debut after recovering from illness, appeared to quell Madrid’s nerves with a stunning volley, opening his Club World Cup account and seemingly sealing the deal.
But Dortmund refused to throw in the towel. Serhou Guirassy dramatically reduced the deficit again from the penalty spot after being fouled by Dean Huijsen, an incident that saw the young Spanish international controversially receive a straight red card.
Despite being a man down and facing a relentless Dortmund onslaught, the Spanish side held their nerve in the dying moments to secure the win.
This sets up a mouth-watering semi-final clash against French champions Paris Saint-Germain at the same venue next Wednesday – a true test for both sides on their quest for Club World Cup glory.
The match began with both teams showcasing their attacking prowess. Gonzalo Garcia, in particular, was a constant threat, making amends for an earlier miss by expertly volleying home Arda Guler’s exquisite lifted pass in the 10th minute.
This marked his fourth goal in just five games in the United States, an impressive tally for the young forward.
The “Garcia connection” proved potent, with Fran Garcia doubling Real Madrid’s lead by timing his run perfectly and side-footing home a precise cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real continued to press, with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior both coming close to extending the lead further before the halftime whistle.
The second half saw a slight dip in tempo, with both sides struggling to carve out clear-cut opportunities. However, the game roared back to life in stoppage time.
Beier’s clinical finish sparked Dortmund’s late surge, only for Mbappe to respond with an acrobatic overhead volley that sent the Madrid bench into raptures.
The drama escalated further when Huijsen’s challenge on Guirassy led to the penalty and red card, making for a truly nail-biting finish.
Dortmund even went agonizingly close to snatching an equalizer with the last kick of the game, but Thibaut Courtois produced a world-class save to deny Marcel Sabitzer, ensuring Real Madrid’s passage to the semi-finals.
