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Real Madrid oust Juventus as Dortmund reach Club World Cup quarters

Spanish giants Real Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 to set up a Club World Cup quarter-final clash against Borussia Dortmund, who edged Mexican side Monterrey.

Serhou Guirassy struck twice for the German outfit as they scraped past Sergio Ramos’s side 2-1 in a tight last-16 clash in Atlanta and denied the former Real Madrid skipper a match-up against his former team.

Youngster Gonzalo Garcia headed home his third goal of the tournament to help Madrid edge Italian side Juventus at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami earlier.

It was an impressive display from Xabi Alonso’s Madrid side, unbeaten under the new coach, and they were further boosted by Kylian Mbappe’s return from illness as a substitute.

“We had a lot of chances in the second half, but their goalkeeper was really good,” said Madrid shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois.

The first half was a finely-balanced contest with Igor Tudor’s Juventus starting brightly before Real ended it on top.

Los Blancos kept turning the screw and found their goal when Trent Alexander-Arnold crossed for Gonzalo to head home after 54 minutes.

Alonso decided to introduce Mbappe to the delight of the 62,149 crowd but the striker did not find any clear openings as Juve pushed for an equaliser.

Madrid’s coach was pleased with his team’s performance, including that of Gonzalo — who he had compared to former Real great Raul — but also suggested that Mbappe might be ready for a bigger contribution in the next game.

“We will keep watching him… I think he will be much better for the quarters,” Alonso said.

Alonso added that he was satisfied to see Real produce the necessary grit to grind out the result in the second half.

“We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game,” said the coach.

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“With the players and myself, you know you have to grit your teeth and do what you have to do. And in the end, we had to hold on a bit, and I’m happy about that too.”

Juve boss Tudor said his team became exhausted as the game developed.

“In the end there were 10 of them asking to be substituted. Obviously you can’t do that but there was an incredible tiredness,” he said, offering his reasons.

“There is the tension of the game which burns energy but then there is the heat and humidity,” explained Tudor, also noting they were at the end of a long season.

In Atlanta, Guirassy’s brace was enough to help Dortmund past Monterrey in a hard-fought clash in the Club World Cup, setting them up to play a Madrid side who beat them in the 2024 Champions League final.

Guirassy netted a first-half double but German Berterame pulled one back for the Mexican side who came close to an equaliser when a late Ramos header span just wide.

After grinding through several games in the blazing afternoon sun during the group stage, Dortmund were grateful to be at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium and played at a faster pace in Atlanta.

Karim Adeyemi set up both of Guirassy’s goals as the Guinea international reached 37 for the season across all competitions.

A booking for Jobe Bellingham means he will be suspended for the clash against his brother Jude’s Real Madrid side.

However Dortmund almost missed out entirely as Monterrey hit back in the second half, but after Berterame headed home to reduce the gap, goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made several good saves to keep them at bay.

Ramos, sent up front for the final stages, put a header agonisingly wide in stoppage time as he tried to deliver on his penchant for late, decisive moments, like in Madrid’s 2014 Champions League final triumph.

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Inter Milan, Dortmund claim first wins at Club World Cup

Inter Milan came from behind to beat Urawa Red Diamonds and knock the Japanese side out of the Club World Cup on Saturday, while Borussia Dortmund held off Mamelodi Sundowns to win a seven-goal thriller.

Fluminense rallied in the second half to beat Ulsan 4-2 and knock out the South Korean side while Monterrey and River Plate ended goalless.

At Lumen Field in Seattle, Ryoma Watanabe got an early opening goal for Urawa Reds, who were backed by a noisy contingent of their supporters.

But captain Lautaro Martinez — who got Inter’s equaliser in their 1-1 draw with Monterrey of Mexico in their opening game — repeated the trick to level matters with a clever overhead kick 12 minutes from time.

Valentin Carboni was then the unlikely hero as he grabbed the winner two minutes into injury time.

The 20-year-old Argentine had not played a competitive game since early October after suffering a serious knee injury while on loan at Marseille.

Carboni had not made an appearance for Inter in over two years, but he was on to hand to sidefoot home when the ball fell to him in the area.

“Our opponents play with their hearts and to counter that as a team we need to play with more pride, be humble and know how to suffer,” Martinez told broadcaster DAZN.

The result left some Urawa fans in tears and Inter level on four points with River Plate with the two teams meeting next in Club World Cup.

River Plate were let down by their finishing in a scrappy, foul-ridden encounter with Mexico’s Monterrey, who sit on two points.

Esteban Andrada, Monterrey’s Argentine keeper, made a series of saves while River’s forwards were unable to put away the few chances that came their way.

Monterrey could still make it into the last 16 if they beat Urawa and River or Inter win their game.

Earlier Jobe Bellingham got his first goal for Dortmund as his new club overcame stifling heat in Cincinnati to beat Sundowns 4-3 and move to four points from two matches in Group F.

The South African champions had taken a surprise early lead through a fine solo goal from Lucas Ribeiro.

However, Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams handed Dortmund their equaliser on a plate, passing the ball straight to Felix Nmecha, who stroked home.

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Serhou Guirassy gave Dortmund the lead with his 35th goal since the beginning of the season.

English midfielder Bellingham, who this month followed older brother Jude’s footsteps in joining the German side from Sunderland, started for the first time for Dortmund and made it 3-1 just before the break.

Khuliso Mudau’s own goal made it 4-1 before the hour mark, but Sundowns salvaged some pride by reducing the deficit through Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba.

“I’m sweating like I’ve just come out of a sauna,” said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac when asked about the conditions in a game which started at midday local time.

“It was tough going for both teams, but the opposition are used to it. We certainly didn’t give our best performance, but that wasn’t possible today.”

Sundowns will still go into their final game in Group F with a chance of qualifying for the last 16.

“The boys made a wonderful performance… it was a hell of a match. I’m not happy but very proud,” said their Portuguese coach, Miguel Cardoso.

South Korea’s Ulsan gave Fluminense a real scare in their Group F clash at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, leading 2-1 until the 66th minute before the Brazilians ran out 4-2 winners, eliminating the K-League champions in the process.

Colombian striker Jhon Arias put Fluminense ahead with a 27th minute free-kick but goals from Lee Jin-hyun and Um Won-sang gave Ulsan the advantage at the break.

Nonata levelled for the Brazilians in the 66th minute before Juan Freytes put Fluminense ahead in the 83rd minute, slotting home after a scramble in the box.

Keno added a fourth in stoppage time to leave Fluminense on top of the group, level on 4 points with Borussia Dortmund ahead of their final game against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Miami on Wednesday.

A win or a draw for the Rio club in their final Club World Cup group game will ensure their passage into the last 16.

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Fluminense open Club World Cup with draw Against Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund were held to a 0-0 draw by Fluminense at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, as Brazilian teams maintained their unbeaten record so far in the competition.

Rio de Janeiro powerhouses Fluminense were the more dangerous team throughout the Group F game played at the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, just outside New York City.

However, Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel turned a Jhon Arias shot around the post in the first half, before Matheus Martinelli drilled an effort narrowly wide.

Fluminense — captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva — were a threat on the break throughout and should have scored at the end of a counter midway into the second half, but Agustin Canobbio shot straight at Kobel.

The Dortmund goalkeeper then produced a fine save low down to deny Everaldo as the club world cup match ended in stalemate.

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Fluminense qualified for the tournament by virtue of their triumph in the Copa Libertadores in 2023.

Their performance against a European heavyweight, UEFA Champions League finalists last year, is further evidence that Brazilian teams can hope to make a real impact in FIFA’s new-look competition.

Their great rivals Flamengo beat Esperance of Tunisia 2-0 on Monday and face Chelsea next.

Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Porto in their opening game while Botafogo, the reigning Brazilian and South American champions, defeated Seattle Sounders of MLS 2-1 on Sunday.

Dortmund, who gave a debut off the bench to teenage English midfielder Jobe Bellingham following his recent arrival from Sunderland, did not seriously threaten until a late Niklas Suele long-ranger.

The Germans will hope to get their first win in the Club World Cup when they play Mamelodi Sundowns next.

Sundowns, of South Africa, take on Ulsan HD of South Korea in the day’s other Group F match in Orlando.

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