Kylian Mbappé delivered a breathtaking bicycle kick in stoppage time to help Real Madrid edge past Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a dramatic Club World Cup quarter-final clash at MetLife Stadium.
Madrid looked set for a routine win after early strikes from Gonzalo García and Fran García gave them a 2-0 cushion within 20 minutes. But the game spiralled into chaos in added time, culminating in Mbappé’s moment of magic.
The French superstar, still regaining full fitness after illness, came off the bench in the 67th minute and lit up the stadium with a sublime overhead finish just moments after Maximilian Beier had halved the deficit. Madrid’s two-goal advantage was short-lived, however, as Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty in the 98th minute following Dean Huijsen’s reckless foul, earning the defender a red card that rules him out of the semis.
Dortmund pressed on, and Thibaut Courtois was forced into a fingertip save to deny Marcel Sabitzer with the final kick of the game. The 76,611 in attendance at the same venue set to host the 2026 World Cup final, witnessed a contest that swung wildly in the final minutes.
Madrid boss Xabi Alonso reflected: “We were doing really well, and then the last 10 minutes got crazy, but we had 80 very good minutes.”
Gonzalo García, preferred to start over Mbappé, made his mark again with his fourth goal of the tournament, now joint-top scorer. The 21-year-old continues to repay Alonso’s faith, with the coach praising his timing and impact.
Madrid now prepare for a semi-final showdown with PSG, Mbappé’s former club after their win over Bayern. The winner will face either Fluminense or Chelsea in the final.
Before kickoff, both teams held a moment’s silence for Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva, who tragically passed away this week in a car crash.
