In a thrilling showdown at Charlotte’s stadium on Sunday, ten-man Real Madrid overcame an early setback to defeat Mexico’s Pachuca 3-1, taking a significant step toward the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.
Just seven minutes into the match, Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio received a red card, forcing the Spanish giants to play with ten men for the remainder of the game. Despite the disadvantage, Los Blancos dominated the pitch, giving new coach Xabi Alonso his first victory at the helm.
English sensation Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 35th minute. Taking a precise pass from Fran García just inside the penalty area, Bellingham fired a left-footed shot into the right corner, leaving Pachuca’s goalkeeper Carlos Moreno with no chance.
Before the halftime whistle, Turkish prodigy Arda Güler doubled Real Madrid’s lead in the 43rd minute. Güler capitalized on a pass from Gonzalo García, delivering a right-footed strike from the center of the box into the bottom left corner.
In the second half, Federico Valverde sealed the victory with a sliding finish, courtesy of a well-timed assist from Brahim Díaz. While Real’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois showcased his skills with five crucial saves, Pachuca’s Elías Montiel managed to score an 80th-minute consolation goal.
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Juventus secured a convincing 4-1 win over Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca. Young forward Kenan Yildiz was the star of the match, contributing to all four goals. The opening goal was marked as an own goal by Wydad’s Abdelmounaim Boutouil after pressure from Yildiz.
Yildiz then scored a spectacular second goal, unleashing a powerful shot from outside the box. Despite Thembinkosi Lorch pulling one back for Wydad before halftime, Yildiz added his second goal in the 69th minute. Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic converted a late penalty to round off the victory.
Later, Manchester City showcased their dominance with a resounding 6-0 win over UAE’s Al-Ain in Atlanta. German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan netted two goals, finding the net in the 9th and 73rd minutes. Argentine teenager Claudio Etcheverri scored a stunning free-kick, and Norwegian star Erling Haaland converted a penalty before the break.
Substitutes Oscar Bobb and new signing Rayan Cherki added to the tally in the final minutes, bringing Manchester City level on goal difference with Juventus in Group G.
With both teams securing maximum points from their first two matches, Manchester City and Juventus are set for a decisive clash in Orlando on Thursday. The outcome will determine which team advances to the round of 16 as group winners.
