East Rutherford, N.J. — In a dramatic finish full of late-game excitement, Real Madrid edged out Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling Club World Cup quarterfinal on Saturday. The match was packed with late drama, including a stunning bicycle kick from Kylian Mbappé in second-half stoppage time, and a heroic save from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in the dying seconds to preserve the win.
Real Madrid took control early, with Gonzalo García finding the back of the net in the 10th minute and Fran García doubling the lead just 10 minutes later in the 20th. The two early goals put Madrid in the driver’s seat, but Dortmund wasn’t ready to back down.
As the game entered stoppage time, Maximilian Beier pulled one back for Dortmund, scoring a goal in the third minute of added time to give his team hope. However, just a minute later, Mbappé stunned the crowd with a spectacular bicycle kick that seemed to seal the game for Madrid, restoring their two-goal cushion.
But the drama wasn’t over. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Serhou Guirassy was awarded a penalty kick after being fouled by Dean Huijsen inside the box. Huijsen was shown a red card for the foul, forcing him to miss the semifinals. Guirassy calmly converted the penalty, narrowing the score to 3-2.
With just seconds remaining, Dortmund had one final chance to equalize. Marcel Sabitzer unleashed a powerful shot, but Courtois, with his long reach, managed to tip the ball away to safety, preserving the victory for Madrid.
The victory sends Real Madrid into a semifinal showdown against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Wednesday, while Chelsea will face Fluminense the day before.
The match took place under a bright, sunny sky with a temperature of 86°F (30°C) at the 3 p.m. kickoff, adding to the intensity of the action on the pitch.
