Real Madrid survived a dramatic late scare against Borussia Dortmund to secure their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain. The match, held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, ended 3-2 in favor of the Spanish giants after a frantic final few minutes.
Real Madrid appeared to be cruising to victory after taking a 2-0 lead. Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring in the 10th minute, finishing off a precise cross from Arda Guler. Ten minutes later, Fran Garcia extended Madrid's lead, assisted by Trent Alexander-Arnold, seemingly consolidating their dominance. However, Borussia Dortmund mounted a late comeback attempt that made for a thrilling finish.
The late drama began in stoppage time when Maximilian Beier scored to pull one back for Dortmund. Just two minutes later, Kylian Mbappe responded with a spectacular overhead volley to restore Real Madrid's two-goal advantage, making it 3-1. The drama didn't end there, as Dean Huijsen was then sent off for bringing down a Dortmund player in the box. Serhou Guirassy converted the resulting penalty, setting up a tense final few moments with the score at 3-2. Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, then made a stunning, one-handed save with virtually the last kick of the match to deny Dortmund an equalizer.
The victory means Real Madrid will now face Paris Saint-Germain in a heavyweight semi-final clash. PSG advanced to the semi-finals after a 2-0 victory over Bayern Munich, a match where they had two players sent off. Désiré Doué and Ousmane Dembélé scored for PSG in that match. The semi-final match between Real Madrid and PSG is scheduled for Wednesday at MetLife Stadium.
Real Madrid, who have won a record five Club World Cups, will be looking to add another title to their trophy cabinet. However, they will face a tough challenge against a PSG side determined to continue their run after claiming the European title. The match promises to be a clash of titans, with both teams boasting some of the world's best players.
The other semi-final will see Chelsea face Fluminense. With both Real Madrid and PSG advancing, the possibility of an all-European final looms.
