Real Madrid booked their place in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup with a dramatic 3–2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in a thrilling quarterfinal clash at MetLife Stadium—a rematch of the 2024 UEFA Champions League final.
Despite the availability of star forward Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso opted to stick with an unchanged starting lineup, a decision that paid dividends early on.
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Just ten minutes into the encounter, Gonzalo García continued his rich vein of form, converting a superb delivery from Arda Güler to open the scoring. The 19-year-old forward, a product of Real Madrid Castilla, has now contributed to a goal in every game under Alonso’s tenure.
The Spanish side doubled their lead ten minutes later, showcasing excellent teamwork and individual brilliance. Trent Alexander-Arnold, enjoying a resurgence in form, drove into the penalty area and squared the ball for Fran García, who netted his first goal in the competition with a composed finish.
The assist marked Alexander-Arnold’s second in as many games, reinforcing his growing influence in the squad.Dortmund came out with renewed purpose in the second half, pushing Madrid back in search of a breakthrough.
However, Thibaut Courtois proved difficult to beat, and the Spanish champions soon regained control of the match. As time wore on, it appeared Madrid would see out a comfortable win—until the closing moments turned the tie into a late thriller.
In stoppage time, Maximilian Beier capitalized on a defensive lapse to reduce the deficit for Dortmund. Moments later, Mbappé—introduced late in the game—produced a stunning bicycle kick to restore Madrid’s two-goal cushion at 3–1.
However, the drama was far from over.Just minutes after the restart, Dean Huijsen was penalized for a foul on Serhou Guirassy inside the area. The young defender received a red card, and Guirassy calmly slotted home the penalty to bring Dortmund within one goal once more.
Reduced to 10 men and under pressure in the dying moments, Madrid held firm to preserve their narrow lead.
The victory marked their fourth straight win under Alonso and secured a semifinal showdown with Paris Saint-Germain, scheduled for Wednesday, July 9.
