real madrid - borussia dortmund: match summary of the Club World Cup

Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund (3-2) in another magnificent match by Xabi Alonso's pupils at MetLife Stadium. The white team started off very strong and managed to take the lead with two goals from Gonzalo and Fran García in just 20 minutes. Beier closed the gap in the 92nd minute after a failed clearance by Rüdiger, Mbappé scored an acrobatic goal, and Dean Huijsen ended up being sent off.

Xabi Alonso repeated the line-up from recent matches with three center-backs and Gonzalo García ahead of Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman, already recovered from his physical problems, had to wait until the second half to step onto the field. However, the gamble paid off again for the Basque coach, as the young striker scored his fourth goal of the tournament 10 minutes into the match.

A sensational start for Real Madrid's Garcías

Real Madrid looked far superior to Borussia Dortmund from the start. The white team took the lead with a great finish from Gonzalo García after a fantastic previous cross from Arda Güler. The Madrid striker thus added his fourth goal in five matches, showing that he is more than ready to remain in the first team.

Ten minutes later, another García scored the second goal for Real Madrid. It was Fran, who finished off a pass from the other side. Trent Alexander-Arnold, showing off his great foot, put the ball on the Spaniard's foot, who made it 2-0 in the 20th minute.

Borussia Dortmund was left on the ropes and Real Madrid tried to take advantage. Jude Bellingham came very close to scoring the third after a great run by Tchouaméni. The Frenchman, like some of his teammates, once again showed one of his best versions in the Madrid jersey.

Fran García and his improvement thanks to Xabi Alonso's system

The first half from Fran García was simply sensational. He was a jet down the left wing, looking completely unleashed. The left-back is one of those who has best adapted to Xabi Alonso's new system of three center-backs and two wing-backs.

Fran no longer has to be so concerned about defensive cover with three center-backs behind his position. With Huijsen, Rüdiger, and Tchouaméni in the back line, the Spanish left-back is much more focused on getting forward to create dangerous plays.

That's how it was against Dortmund. In a play by Trent Alexander-Arnold down the right wing, Fran García appeared on the other side to finish the move. In addition, the Madrid youth product also looked solid in defense, so nothing more could be asked of him on the field.

Just as with Fran García, nothing more could be asked of Real Madrid either. The white team controlled the match in the first half. They dominated with and without the ball, subduing Borussia Dortmund in every aspect of the game.

A rather controlled second half

In the second half, Borussia Dortmund couldn't get past Real Madrid's great defensive block. The only chances for the Germans were saved by an outstanding Thibaut Courtois, who keeps proving to be the best in the world. Meanwhile, the whites tried to seal the match with counterattacks.

By the 63rd minute, Xabi Alonso brought on Kylian Mbappé. The Frenchman, who keeps adding appearances, is even closer to regaining his peak physical condition. Luka Modric also came on, who will play at least one more match with Real Madrid before leaving the club for good.

The Croatian keeps showing flashes of his undeniable quality. In fact, he was about to score his goal in the 74th minute, but his shot was a bit weak.

The match was stopped several times in the final stretch due to several injuries to Dortmund players, so the pace dropped considerably. Beier closed the gap with a great finish after a failed clearance by Antonio Rüdiger, but Mbappé

The good news for the Madrid team also came from Jude Bellingham and Vinícius. Neither of them received a yellow card, so they'll have no problems in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Rodrygo Goes won't be as happy, as he only played 5 minutes and his departure could happen in the coming weeks.

In the final minutes, the white team could have found the third, but Valverde, Güler, and Rüdiger weren't accurate. Kylian Mbappé was, though, as he made it 3-1 with a tremendous acrobatic finish. The Frenchman dedicated his goal to Diogo Jota.

Finally, the match ended on a bittersweet note for Real Madrid due to the sending off of Dean Huijsen. The center-back committed a penalty that Guirassy ended up converting in the 98th minute.

Despite everything, Paris Saint-Germain now awaits next Wednesday in what promises to be a truly great match against the current European champion.