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Match Analysis
Real Madrid secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Club World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, highlighted by a breathtaking bicycle kick from Kylian Mbappé in stoppage time. The win sets up a much-anticipated semifinal clash against Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The match reached a fever pitch in second-half injury time. Maximilian Beier pulled one back for Dortmund three minutes into stoppage time, but just a minute later, Mbappé — who came on in the 67th minute — responded with a spectacular goal to restore Madrid’s two-goal cushion.
Dortmund refused to go down without a fight. Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty in the 98th minute after being fouled by Madrid’s Dean Huijsen, who was shown a red card and will miss the semifinal against PSG. The late penalty added further tension to an already wild finish.
The game's final moment saw Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois make a crucial save, using his fingertips to deny Marcel Sabitzer what could have been a game-tying goal. The thrilling sequence capped off one of the most exciting conclusions in the tournament thus far.
Madrid now turn their attention to PSG, Mbappé’s former club, who defeated Bayern Munich 2-0 to secure their own semifinal spot. The winner between Madrid and PSG will advance to face either Chelsea or Fluminense in the tournament final.
Madrid manager Xabi Alonso reflected on the chaos of the closing minutes. “We were doing really well and had control, but the last 10 minutes got crazy,” he told DAZN. “We lost some focus and intensity, but we played a strong 80 minutes overall — those final minutes are something we’ll look to improve.”
Madrid initially looked comfortable under the blazing sun, with temperatures around 86°F (30°C) at kickoff. Gonzalo García opened the scoring in the 10th minute, and Fran García added a second in the 20th to give Madrid an early 2-0 advantage.
Gonzalo García, just 21 years old, impressed once again after being selected to start over Mbappé, who is still recovering from acute gastroenteritis. The young forward now has four goals in the tournament, tied for the lead. “He’s making the most of this opportunity,” said Alonso. Mbappé replaced Jude Bellingham in the second half, meaning Bellingham missed a chance to face his brother Jobe, who was suspended.