Real Madrid secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup semifinals with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Saturday. The match, a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final, saw Real Madrid initially dominate, but a late surge from Dortmund led to a chaotic finish.

Gonzalo García, a 21-year-old striker, opened the scoring for Real Madrid in the 10th minute, volleying home an Arda Güler cross. García's goal was his fourth of the Club World Cup, tying him for the tournament lead. Fran García doubled the lead ten minutes later, finishing a Trent Alexander-Arnold cut-back. Real Madrid appeared to be in control for much of the match, showcasing free-flowing passing that stifled Dortmund's attack. Dortmund struggled to create significant chances, with their best opportunity in the 89th minute when Chukwuemeka's shot trickled wide.

However, the game exploded in the final minutes with three goals scored in stoppage time. Dortmund's Maximilian Beier pulled a goal back in the 93rd minute to make it 2-1. Immediately after, Kylian Mbappé, who came on as a substitute in the 67th minute for Jude Bellingham, scored a spectacular bicycle kick to restore Real Madrid's two-goal lead. The drama didn't end there, as Dean Huijsen fouled Serhou Guirassy in the penalty area, resulting in a red card for Huijsen and a penalty for Dortmund. Guirassy converted the penalty in the 98th minute, making it 3-2. In the dying seconds of the match, Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save, denying Marcel Sabitzer's close-range effort to secure the win for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso's tactical decisions proved effective, as his side secured their fourth consecutive victory under his leadership. Alonso's choice to start Gonzalo García over Mbappé was particularly noteworthy, with García delivering a strong performance.

Real Madrid will now face Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, July 9th. The match promises to be a captivating encounter, with Mbappé potentially facing his former club. The other semi-final will see Chelsea take on Brazilian club Fluminense.

The game was played in front of a crowd of 76,611 at MetLife Stadium, which is also slated to host the 2026 World Cup final. A moment of silence was observed before kickoff to honor Liverpool's Diogo Jota and his brother, André Silva, who recently passed away.