Real Madrid beat Pachuca at Club World Cup despite Asencio's early red card
Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler scored late in the first half to help 10-man Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory over Pachuca in a Group H clash played amid sweltering conditions in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Federico Valverde's sliding volley in the 70th minute sealed Xabi Alonso's first victory as Madrid manager on Sunday.
The result puts his side's FIFA Club World Cup campaign back on track after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in Wednesday's opener, and despite Sunday's early dismissal of defender Raul Asencio.
Real Madrid can clinch a place in the last 16 with a win or draw against RB Salzburg on Thursday in Philadelphia. Al Hilal play Salzburg later on Sunday in Washington, DC.
Thibault Courtois made 10 saves for the victors, though he could do little on Elias Montiel's 80th-minute deflected effort that provided Pachuca with a consolation goal.
The Mexican side was beaten despite leading their Spanish foes by 25-8 in shots overall and 11-3 in efforts on target.
But as in Pachuca's 2-1 Wednesday loss to Salzburg, it was their opponents who had more quality in their attacks.
Referee Ramon Abatti Abel showed no hesitation in dismissing Asencio in the seventh minute for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after the Madrid defender hauled down Salomon Rondon just beyond the penalty area.
But after absorbing pressure for most of the opening half-hour, the Spaniards raced out to a 2-0 lead in the half's final 15 minutes.
In the 35th, Gonzalo Garcia's quick flick-on freed Fran Garcia down the left. The latter then picked out the late run of Bellingham, who collected a square ball and slid his low finish past Carlos Moreno from 15 yards.
In the 43rd, it was Guler providing the finishing touch from inside the area on another flowing Madrid move, this time with Gonzalo Garcia providing the final square pass after Trent Alexander-Arnold's first-touch cross.
Pachuca continued to apply pressure after the break, with Courtois forced to push Bryan Gonzalez's early-second half effort over the bar and John Kennedy's 61st-minute strike from distance well clear of his left post.
But Valverde's well taken goal effectively killed the game and Real Madrid held on for an impressive win.
Bellingham, who was named the player of the match, hailed the spirit of his teammates after the game.
'We stayed together well [after the red card]. Obviously Raul [Asencio] made a mistake. He is young and it will happen,' he told DAZN.
'It was impressive to see how the team came together and won the game.'
Alonso singled out Courtois for praise.
'We are so happy to have [Courtois] in goal,' he told DAZN after the match.
'He was so reliable, especially when we had one player less. We defended with a lot of sacrifice and waited for our chances.'
In the earlier Club World Cup game on Sunday, Kenan Yildiz scored two goals and had a hand in another as Juventus beat Wydad Casablanca 4-1 to close in on a place in the last 16.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
7 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Which teams are in the Club World Cup knockouts, and who can still make it?
All teams at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 have played two games each, and at the end of matchday two, five clubs have already booked their spots in the tournament's round of 16. Famous clubs such as Bayern Munich and Manchester City are among those to clinch qualification, but the likes of European giants Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain still need a final push to seal a place in the knockouts. Al Jazeera Sport explains which teams are in and which are out, while breaking down the scenarios under which some of the comparatively smaller clubs could squeeze through. Which teams are in the Club World Cup round of 16? With two wins out of two and six points in the bag, these five clubs can breathe easy: Botafogo Bayern Munich Flamengo Manchester City Juventus Which teams have been knocked out of the Club World Cup? After losing their first two games, the journey has ended for seven clubs: Auckland City Los Angeles FC Urawa Red Diamonds Ulsan HD Wydad AC Al Ain Pachuca What are the tie-breaker rules being used in the Club World Cup? In case of a tie on points, the teams progressing to the knockouts will be determined on a set of tie-breakers. Should the first step result in another tie, the next tie-breaker will be employed until a winner is decided. These steps are: Head-to-head winner between the tied teams Head-to-head goal difference between the tied teams Head-to-head goals scored between the tied teams Disciplinary points (yellow and red cards) Drawing of lots What results do Real Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Inter Miami and Chelsea need to progress? While the Lionel Messi-led side and the four European giants remain favourites to enter the second round of the competition, the following clubs still have some work left to do before they can progress. Real Madrid: With four points from their first two games – like RB Salzburg – Real sit on top of Group H by edging Salzburg on goal difference. A win against the Austrian team in their final group game will send the Spanish giants through. A draw and a win for Al Hilal over Pachuca will leave all three teams on five points apiece, bringing the tie-break rules into play to determine the top two sides. PSG: The European champions have won one and lost one game so far, leaving them with three points and in desperate need of a win in their final Group B game against Seattle Sounders. Six points will seal their spot alongside Botafogo. Inter Miami: The Miami team made a lukewarm start to the tournament, before beating FC Porto to have a total of four points after two games. They face Group A leaders Palmeiras for a bid to seal their place, which they can do by avoiding a loss. Chelsea: The English side find themselves in a spot of bother with only three points after a win and a loss. They need to avoid losing to their tough Group D opponents, ES Tunis, who also have the same points, to advance. A draw will be enough for Chelsea on the basis of their better goal difference. Inter Milan: The UEFA Champions League runners up were held by Mexican opponents Monterrey in their first game but beat a resilient Urawa Reds side to bag their first win in Group E. Inter face group toppers (on goal difference) River Plate in their last game, where a win would make either side the group leaders, but a draw could bring in a tie-break scenario should Monterrey thrash Urawa in their final game. Can Al Hilal, Mamelodi Sundowns, Monterrey and ES Tunis still qualify for the knockouts? Yes, all four clubs have at least two points from their first two games, giving them a promising shot at qualification. Al Hilal and Monterrey also have two points from their two drawn games. The Saudi club face the ousted Mexican side Pachuca for a chance to score a big win and then hope that their superior goal difference can see them through, irrespective of the result in the other Group H game. Monterrey are in the same boat and will have the same requirements from their game against Urawa. The Sundowns have lit up the Club World Cup with their skills and colourful celebrations, but it will not be fun and games when they play Brazil's Fluminense for a chance to qualify. A win, resulting in six points, will be enough for the South African club, but a draw, leading to four points, might kick them out as German giants Borussia Dortmund, on four points, are highly unlikely to lose against Ulsan in their last Group F match. ES Tunis are in a straight winner-goes-through shootout with Chelsea, as a draw will not be enough for the Tunisian club, given their poorer goal difference. Which other teams still have a chance to enter the round of 16? Fluminense Borussia Dortmund Atletico Madrid River Plate FC Porto Benfica Al Ahly Palmeiras Boca Juniors RB Salzburg Seattle Sounders
Al Jazeera
11 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Guardiola wants more after Man City thump Al Ain at Club World Cup
Manager Pep Guardiola has been left a little disappointed that Manchester City were unable to get a seventh goal in their rout of Al Ain, despite the English club securing passage to the knockout stages of the Club World Cup. German Ilkay Gundogan scored two goals as City comfortably dispatched the Emiratis 6-0 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, and drew level with Juventus on points and goal difference at the top of Group G. City play Juventus in their final opening-round match on Thursday to decide who tops the group and who finishes second. Juventus go into the clash with a slight edge as goals scored in the second tiebreaker after goal difference for teams level on points. Juve have scored nine goals to City's eight. In the round of 16, the top team in Group G will play the second-placed team in Group H, currently Red Bull Salzburg. The runners-up will face the top team, currently 15-time European champions Real Madrid. Juventus beat Wydad 4-1 in the other Group G match. Erling Haaland scored on a penalty, while new signing Rayan Cherki bagged one close to full-time, and Claudio Echeverri and Oscar Bobb also got on the scoring sheet for City as they aim to look past a disappointing season. With an entirely new lineup after a 2-0 win over Morocco's Wydad in the group opener, Man City produced a dominating performance in Atlanta against an overmatched club from the United Arab Emirates. Guardiola said that his side 'pushed and pushed to score another goal' but ended up missing one. City's star forward Rodri came off the bench as he continues his gradual return from an ACL injury. 'He cannot play more than 30 minutes,' the Spanish manager said of Rodri's return. 'He still struggles a bit in the duels, still needs to be a little bit stronger, but it's normal. 'It's important he played much, much better than the previous game. We miss him a lot. Any team would miss the best player in the world.' In Sunday's other results, Salzburg and Al Hilal played out a goalless draw in Group H after 10-man Real Madrid won 3-1 against Pachuca.
Al Jazeera
12 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
Thunder beat Pacers in Game 7 to bring first NBA crown to Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma City Thunder have capped an extraordinary season by defeating the Indiana Pacers 103-91 in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to win the franchise's first title since relocating from Seattle in 2008. The league's Most Valuable Player (MVP), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, led the scoring in front of a raucous home crowd at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center, with 29 points and 12 assists in the deciding game on Sunday. He was also crowned the best player of the Finals, marking the first time since Shaquille O'Neal in 2002 that the same player had won the scoring title, regular season and Finals MVP honours. The Pacers suffered a huge blow early on when they lost their star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, midway through the first quarter with an Achilles injury and saw their title hopes dashed by a stifling Oklahoma City defence in the second half. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'So many hours, so many moments, so many emotions, so many nights of disbelief, so many nights of belief. 'This group works hard. This group put in the hours, and we deserve this,' he added. The championship capped an extraordinary run for the Thunder, who ended the regular season with a 68-14 record, good for the fifth-most wins in a single NBA season. The Finals between two small-market teams were light on star power but delivered on thrills, as the surprise Eastern Conference champions Pacers pushed the best team in the league to the winner-take-all finale. The Pacers got off on the right track as Haliburton drained his third three-pointer five minutes into the game, but the night took a terrible turn for Indiana when he slipped and fell two minutes later. The two-time All Star was in tears as his team's medical staff rushed to his side, and a hush fell over the building packed with Oklahoma City fans. Haliburton was helped to the locker room but did not return, and while there was no official update from the team, a TV broadcast reported he had suffered an Achilles injury. The resilient Pacers kept the game tight through a physical second quarter, putting up a terrific defensive effort to end the half up by one. However, the Thunder soon took control with Gilgeous-Alexander, who went 0-5 behind the arc in the first half, lighting the fuse with a 25-foot three-point jump shot four minutes into the third quarter. The Pacers were masters of the late comeback in the postseason, but without Haliburton, they were unable to claw back the deficit, with the Thunder opening the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run. Youthful champions' struggle The Thunder's youth was evident in their postgame celebration. 'No one knew how to open them,' Thunder centre Isaiah Hartenstein said of the post-game celebratory champagne bottles. They learned soon enough, thanks to 31-year-old Alex Caruso, both the oldest player on the roster and the only player on the team who had previously won an NBA title. 'AC [Caruso] did a great job of giving us a tutorial,' Hartenstein said. The Thunder youth came through with inconsistency at times. 'The whole run, I've tried to help the guys just be who we are, and that's all we needed is to be who we are,' Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. The Pacers remain without an NBA title. It could've been worse for the Pacers if not for point guard TJ McConnell, who scored 12 points in the third, hitting six of Indiana's eight field goals in the frame. Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers for the game with 24 points off the bench. Pascal Siakam and McConnell added 16 each. The Thunder became the first team to score 100 or more points in an NBA Finals Game 7 since 1988, when the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 108-105. Caruso, who played on the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 title team, said he hoped his postgame tutorial would pay off again down the road. 'We'll get some rest, rest, try to do it again next year,' Caruso said. 'We'll be better [at it] next year.'
