Key events and turning points
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10′ – 1-0: Gonzalo GarcÃa opened the scoring for Real Madrid with a spectacular volley in the 10th minute. The 21-year-old forward met a cross from Arda Güler and finished powerfully past Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
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20′ – 2-0: Real doubled their lead when left-back Fran GarcÃa scored from close range in the 20th minute. Trent Alexander-Arnold supplied the assist, and Fran GarcÃa buried the ball into the bottom corner from six yards.
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Halftime – Real 2, Dortmund 0: Real had dominated the first half, outshooting Dortmund eight to three. The Spanish side controlled possession and created the better chances, earning a deserved two-goal cushion by halftime.
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61′ – Dortmund sub: In response, Dortmund’s coach Niko Kovac made a triple substitution at halftime (introducing Niklas Süle, Felix Nmecha, and Maximilian Beier) and the German side began to press more aggressively in the second half.
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90+2′ – 2-1: Maximilian Beier, on as a second-half substitute, pulled one back for Dortmund with a precise shot into the bottom-left corner at 90+2 minutes. His goal ended Real’s shutout and gave Dortmund renewed hope.
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90+4′ – 3-1: Almost immediately, Real restored a two-goal lead when Kylian Mbappé (who had come on as a substitute) scored a stunning bicycle-kick goal. Mbappé’s acrobatic finish past Kobel effectively sealed the victory for Real, making the score 3-1.
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90+6′ – Red card: In the frantic closing moments, Real defender Dean Huijsen was shown a straight red card for pulling down Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy in the penalty area. Huijsen’s foul led to a late penalty for Dortmund.
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90+8′ – 3-2: Serhou Guirassy converted the ensuing spot-kick, firing his penalty into the top-left corner. However, with almost no time remaining, Dortmund could not find an equalizer, and the match ended 3-2 in Real’s favor.
Tactical overview
Real Madrid, coached by Xabi Alonso, set up to control the midfield and dictate the tempo from the start. Alonso deployed a three-man defence (with Antonio Rüdiger, Dean Huijsen and Fran GarcÃa) and a compact midfield, using wing-backs (Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fran GarcÃa) to stretch play. This allowed Real to dominate possession and create numerous chances early on. By halftime Real had taken eight shots to Dortmund’s three, reflecting their superior first-half control.
Borussia Dortmund, under Niko Kovac, expected to sit deeper and hit on the counter. Kovac emphasized ball retention and creativity when they had possession, saying “When we have the ball… we need to use that phase to be creative and make the opponent chase us. We definitely want possession, and that’s how we will play”. In practice, Dortmund struggled to break out against Real’s press in the first half, hence the 2-0 deficit. In the second half, after bringing on fresh attackers (Beier, Süle, Nmecha), Dortmund began to find more space and pressure the Real defence, which led to their late goals. Overall, Real’s tactics paid off in the opening stages, while Dortmund’s adjustments produced the late comeback attempts.
Standout performances
Several individual players made key contributions. Gonzalo GarcÃa was a standout for Real – the young forward scored the opener with a well-taken volley and has four goals in the tournament so far. Fran GarcÃa (on loan from Leeds) also impressed by scoring Real’s second goal, finishing a pinpoint cross from Alexander-Arnold. Substitute Kylian Mbappé, returning from a stomach issue, provided the coup de grâce with his spectacular 90+4′ bicycle kick. Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was only tested briefly but made important saves to preserve the lead once Dortmund threatened.
For Dortmund, Maximilian Beier (a summer signing) made an instant impact off the bench by scoring at 90+2 to spark a dramatic finish. Veteran striker Serhou Guirassy (on loan from Stuttgart) was a constant threat and slotted home the late penalty. Despite the loss, Guirassy’s two goals and overall play have been key for Dortmund in the tournament. The late red card to Real’s Dean Huijsen was a notable turning point; Huijsen had played well until the end when he committed a denial foul.
Both coaches also commented on the match. Dortmund’s Niko Kovac had spoken in advance of the game about his team’s confidence, noting that his players “have great confidence” and believed “we have a real chance of winning this match” after a strong run of form. Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso likewise warned that Dortmund are “a top team in Europe” and predicted “it will be an intense game” in which his side needed to perform at “a high level”. Alonso praised Gonzalo GarcÃa’s form, saying the young striker was “making the most of the opportunity with his hard work, goals and desire”.
Implications
The result sends Real Madrid into the semi-finals, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain – the reigning French champions and last season’s Champions League winners – in a marquee matchup. A win there would propel Real into the Club World Cup final on July 13. For Borussia Dortmund, the loss marks the end of their first Club World Cup campaign. The German side can take solace in having secured a substantial prize-money payout for reaching the quarter-finals (around US$45 million) and in the progress shown under Kovac. Dortmund will now regroup for the summer transfer window and their return to domestic competition, while Real continue their pursuit of the Club World Cup title.
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