Real Madrid delivered a heart-stopping performance to defeat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a FIFA Club World Cup quarterfinal clash on Saturday, with Kylian Mbappé’s acrobatic bicycle kick and Thibaut Courtois’s last-gasp heroics defining the match.
The Spanish giants dominated early, with Gonzalo García and Fran García scoring within the first 20 minutes. Dortmund fought back fiercely, with Maximilian Beier narrowing the gap in stoppage time before Mbappé – introduced as a substitute – stunned fans with an overhead kick to restore Madrid’s two-goal cushion.
Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty in the 98th minute after a red card to Dean Huijsen, but Courtois’s fingertip save against Marcel Sabitzer’s final shot sealed Madrid’s semifinal berth. The victory sets up a blockbuster clash against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, while Chelsea will face Fluminense in the other semifinal.
Notably, 21-year-old Gonzalo García – starting ahead of Mbappé due to the French star’s recovery from illness – now shares the tournament’s scoring lead with four goals. The match also marked another chapter in Madrid’s dominance over Dortmund, extending their unbeaten streak to seven matches since 2014.
