European giants Real Madrid survived a dramatic late scare to reach the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals, edging Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a pulsating quarter-final clash at MetLife Stadium.
The 15-time UEFA Champions League winners appeared to be cruising for much of the contest, only for stoppage-time drama to inject unexpected tension into the tie. Goals from Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia had put the Spanish side in a commanding position, only for Dortmund to stage a spirited late fightback.
Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring in the 10th minute, making amends for an earlier miss by volleying in Arda Guler’s delightful lifted pass. It was the young forward’s fourth goal in just five matches on American soil, underlining his growing importance to the team. Real’s dominance continued as Fran Garcia added a second, calmly finishing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pinpoint cross after a well-timed run from deep.
Real Madrid controlled much of the first half, with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior coming close to adding a third before the interval. Dortmund, however, refused to give in.
The second half was more cagey, with neither side able to create many clear openings. Just when it seemed Madrid would see out the result comfortably, the final minutes exploded into life.
Maximilian Beier pulled one back for Dortmund early in stoppage time with a crisp finish, shifting momentum and rattling the Madrid defence. But almost instantly, Kylian Mbappe, making his tournament debut after recovering from illness, restored the two-goal cushion with a breathtaking overhead volley that seemed to seal the result.
Yet Dortmund’s fightback wasn’t done. Serhou Guirassy won a penalty after being fouled by Dean Huijsen, who was shown a straight red card in a moment of controversy. Guirassy converted the spot-kick, setting up a tense finale with Madrid down to ten men.
Dortmund threw everything forward in the dying seconds, and nearly found an equalizer with the final kick of the game. Marcel Sabitzer’s low drive looked destined for the net, but Thibaut Courtois produced a phenomenal save to preserve Madrid’s lead and send them through.
The victory now sets up a blockbuster semi-final clash with French champions Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday, promising another high-octane battle as both teams chase Club World Cup glory.
