Gonzalo Garcia rewarded his coach’s faith in him with the opening goal to help Real Madrid to a wild-ending 3-2 win against Borussia Dortmund in East Rutherford, N.J. on Saturday afternoon to advance to the semifinals of the Club World Cup.
Real Madrid will play Paris Saint-Germain in the same city on Wednesday.
With superstar Kylian Mbappe gradually recovering from an illness, coach Xabi Alonso elected to instead start the 21-year-old Garcia and he scored his fourth goal of the Club World Cup in the 10th minute.
Fran Garcia, no relation, made it 2-0 in the 20th.
Then it got crazy. Dortmund’s Max Beier cut the lead in half in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
Mbappe, who entered in the 67th minute, made it 3-1 in 90+4 with a spectacular side-volley but Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen was red-carded in 90+6 for a foul in the box and Serhou Guirassy converted the penalty kick in 90+8.
Dortmund had one final try and Thibaut Courtois made a great full-extension save on Marcel Sabitzer in 90+10.
The match looked fully in hand until a clearance bounced to Beier and he first-timed a strike that brushed Huijsen on the way in to make it 2-1.
Mbappe then did his thing from the left side of the 6-yard box off the second assist of the match for Guler.
Just as Real Madrid was ready to exhale, Huijsen prevented goal-scoring opportunity and Guirassy scored for the third time in two matches.
Huijsen is suspended for the semifinal.
It was left to Courtois with his diving stop at the left corner to finally seal the win.
Real Madrid holds off hard-charging Borussia Dortmund to earn semifinal berth
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Real Madrid holds off hard-charging Borussia Dortmund to earn semifinal berth
- Real Madrid will play Paris Saint-Germain in the same city on Wednesday
Napoli beat Bologna to lift Italian Super Cup
- Brazilian winger Neres curled in a brilliant shot from distance to give Napoli the lead before half-time against last season’s Italian Cup winners
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Napoli won the Italian Super Cup on Monday as David Neres scored twice to secure the reigning Serie A champions a 2-0 win over Bologna in the final in Jeddah.
Brazilian winger Neres curled in a brilliant shot from distance to give Napoli the lead before half-time against last season’s Italian Cup winners.
He struck again in the second half after intercepting a weak pass from Bologna goalkeeper Federico Ravaglia as he tried to play out from the back.
Neres finished with three goals in the Super Cup after also scoring in the 2-0 semifinal win over AC Milan last week.
It is the third time Napoli have won the competition, after 1990 and 2014.
“The lads deserve congratulations,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte told Sport Mediaset.
“They showed how much they wanted this trophy for the fans, and we’ll also have a great Christmas celebration now with a new trophy in the cabinet.”
Traditionally featuring the Serie A and Italian Cup champions, since 2023 the Italian Super Cup has also included the runners-up from league and cup.
The four-team tournament is contracted to be held in Saudi Arabia until 2029.
Napoli, who trail Serie A leaders Inter Milan by two points, return to league action on Sunday away to Cremonese. Bologna are at home to Sassuolo.
