FIFA Club World Cup: Mbappe magic seals Real Madrid's spot in semi-final vs PSG
Real Madrid held off a late Borussia Dortmund surge to clinch a 3-2 win and book their place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, where they will face European champions Paris Saint-Germain.
The match, played under sweltering heat at the MetLife Stadium near New York City, saw Gonzalo Garcia and
Kylian Mbappe
steal the show for the Spanish giants.
Gonzalo Garcia, 21, opened the scoring in the 10th minute, slotting home his fourth goal of the tournament after an inch-perfect cross from Arda Guler. Ten minutes later, full-back Fran Garcia doubled the lead, finishing off a flowing move that included a cutback from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real Madrid dominated the opening stages, stifling Dortmund's rhythm and forcing them to chase shadows.
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Coach Xabi Alonso praised his team's display but acknowledged the chaotic finish: 'Everything was going under control… but the last 10 minutes were kind of crazy. Overall, a good 80 minutes and the last 10 minutes to improve.'
Indeed, Dortmund mounted a dramatic late comeback.
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Maximilian Beier fired in from a loose clearance in the 93rd minute to make it 2-1. But Real's response was emphatic — Mbappe, who came off the bench in the second half, produced a sensational overhead kick to restore the two-goal cushion.
WATCH:
Mbappe, still yet to start in the tournament due to recent illness, now has his first goal of the Club World Cup and 44th of the season. "It will be a great challenge for us to face PSG, but let's take positives from today and move on for the next one," said Alonso ahead of the semi-final showdown.
There was still more drama to come, as Dean Huijsen was sent off for bringing down Serhou Guirassy, who converted the resulting penalty to bring Dortmund back within a goal.
Despite the scare, Real held on, much to the delight of the 76,611 fans in attendance — a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final, but with far more twists.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac reflected, 'It is a deserved win for Real Madrid. We showed our qualities and it is not a failure if you go home after a defeat against them.'
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