By Sachit Subba • Football • Jun 23, 2025 03:40 AM • 110 views
PHILADELPHIA, June 23 — Real Madrid showed steel, structure, and just enough sparkle as they clawed their way back into the Club World Cup mix with a gutsy 3-1 victory over Mexico's Pachuca on Sunday — a match defined by an early red card, relentless Mexican pressure, and moments of pure Madrid magic. Reduced to 10 men after just seven minutes, courtesy of Raul Asencio's reckless foul on Salomon Rondon, Carlo Ancelotti's side looked set to unravel. But instead of folding, they leaned into the chaos, found their rhythm, and unleashed a swift two-goal counterpunch late in the first half to seize control of a game that, by most metrics, should have gone the other way. Pachuca, for the second straight match, dominated statistically — outshooting Madrid 25-8 and peppering Thibaut Courtois with 11 efforts on target. Yet again, they lacked the clinical edge their European opponents possessed.
Bellingham Leads the Charge After Early Setback
Madrid's response to adversity began with Jude Bellingham, the Englishman who continues to mature beyond his years. After Fran Garcia flew down the left flank in the 35th minute and cut a ball square into the box, Bellingham timed his run to perfection and slid a composed finish past Carlos Moreno.
Eight minutes later, Los Blancos doubled their lead in signature style. Trent Alexander-Arnold — deployed in a hybrid midfield role — delivered a clever first-time ball wide to Gonzalo Garcia, who squared it to Arda Güler. The Turkish starlet made no mistake from close range, sending Madrid into halftime with a cushion they had no right to enjoy.
"We showed character," Bellingham said post-match. "We didn't panic. Raul Asencio is young — these things happen. But the team rallied, and we showed what it means to wear this badge."
Courtois the Fortress
While Madrid were clinical in attack, their true hero was Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian shot-stopper made 10 saves and was a towering presence between the posts, especially as Pachuca mounted wave after wave of pressure after the break. He denied Bryan Gonzalez's powerful drive early in the second half and parried away John Kennedy's swerving long-range strike minutes later. His efforts drew rare post-match praise from manager Xabi Alonso, who declared, "We are so happy to have him. He gave us belief when we were a man down. It was a performance of sacrifice and patience."
Valverde's Finisher, Montiel's Consolation
Any hope of a Pachuca comeback was dashed in the 71st minute when Federico Valverde capped off a fluid counter-attack with a composed low strike, making it 3-0 and silencing the Mexican supporters who had been electric throughout the match. Elias Montiel's 80th-minute deflected goal gave Pachuca a glimmer of consolation, but the damage had long been done. The Mexicans, who also suffered a late collapse against Salzburg earlier in the week, are now on the brink of elimination.
Group Outlook
With four points from two matches, Real Madrid can secure their place in the last 16 with a win or draw against Austria's RB Salzburg on Thursday. Al Hilal and Salzburg square off later Sunday in Washington, D.C., in a clash that could have significant implications for the group standings. For Madrid, the equation is now simple: one more composed performance, and their Club World Cup ambitions remain alive.
