Kylian Mbappe magic seals thriller as Real Madrid edge Dortmund to book Club World Cup semis spot
Real Madrid lit up the MetLife Stadium on a sweltering Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund, punching their ticket to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup - and setting up a blockbuster clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
Kylian Mbappe 5 July, 2025It was the young guns and the global stars who combined to get the job done. Rising talent Gonzalo Garcia bagged his fourth of the tournament, while Kylian Mbappe – still shaking off illness and yet to start a game – delivered a moment of magic off the bench with a soaring overhead kick that will live long in the memory.
Madrid, who had already defeated Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League final earlier this year, came out with tactical intent and early energy. Coach Xabi Alonso, mixing things up with a more traditional back four, saw his side take command early. Garcia slotted home in the 10th minute, finishing smartly from an Arda Guler cross. Ten minutes later, Fran Garcia doubled the lead with a composed finish after slick interplay between Jude Bellingham and Gonzalo on the right.
The match looked to be over by halftime. Real were dominant, with Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, and Aurelien Tchouameni all going close to adding a third. Dortmund, for their part, looked largely out of ideas until the dying minutes.
What followed was a chaotic conclusion.
Maximilian Beier, on as a sub, pounced on a loose clearance to pull one back in stoppage time, sparking brief hopes of a comeback. But Mbappe responded almost instantly - meeting another pinpoint Guler cross with an acrobatic finish that sent the 76,000-strong crowd into raptures. Even as Real celebrated, chaos returned: Serhou Guirassy was brought down, Dean Huijsen saw red, and Guirassy converted the resulting penalty to make it 3-2. But time ran out before Dortmund could mount a final push.
Madrid now face PSG - Mbappe's former club - in a semi-final clash that promises fireworks. The Frenchman, who missed the group stage through illness, will be desperate to start in what could be the defining match of the tournament.
With Chelsea and Fluminense battling it out on the other side of the bracket, the stage is set. But after this dramatic win, it's Real Madrid who look like the team to beat.
