Real Madrid survived a dramatic late scare to edge Borussia Dortmund 3-2 and book their spot in the Club World Cup semifinals. Dominant for most of the match, Madrid looked to be cruising after early goals from Gonzalo and Fran Garcia gave them a 2-0 lead.
But stoppage time turned chaotic.
Dortmund pulled one back in the 92nd minute through Maximilian Beier, then won a penalty moments later after Huijsen was sent off for a foul on Guirassy, who converted from the spot to make it 3-2. Tensions flared, with Mbappe booked for dissent.
Just when a comeback seemed inevitable, Thibaut Courtois produced a stunning save from a Sabitzer volley in the 99th minute, preserving the win in heroic fashion. Moments later, the final whistle blew.
Kylian Mbappe had earlier seemed to seal the result with a spectacular acrobatic goal to make it 3-1, but Dortmund’s late push nearly turned the tie on its head.
Real will now face PSG in a blockbuster semifinal, but this narrow escape will serve as a warning. Despite their dominance for 90 minutes, Madrid needed every ounce of experience—and Courtois’ brilliance—to avoid a collapse.
