Charlotte, USA – 22 June 2025
Real Madrid bounced back from their opening draw in Group H of the FIFA Club World Cup with a commanding 3-1 victory over Pachuca, despite being reduced to 10 men within the first ten minutes at Bank of America Stadium.
Madrid’s night began with drama as forward Raúl Asencio received a straight red card in the 6th minute for a reckless challenge on Salomón Rondón, forcing Los Blancos to play nearly the entire match a man down.
But rather than retreat, the Spanish giants rose to the challenge. Jude Bellingham opened the scoring in the 35th minute, capitalising on a quick break to fire past Pachuca’s goalkeeper. Just before halftime, Arda Güler made it 2-0 with a calm finish inside the box following a clever build-up.
Pachuca pressed to take advantage of the extra man in the second half, but Real Madrid held firm. Federico Valverde then produced a moment of brilliance in the 70th minute, volleying home from the edge of the area to all but seal the game.
Elias Montiel pulled one back for Pachuca in the 80th minute, but it was too little, too late for the Mexican side, who have now been eliminated from the competition after back-to-back defeats.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was instrumental for Madrid, making several key saves and earning Player of the Match honours.
With this victory, Real Madrid sit on four points and will face Red Bull Salzburg in their final group match, where a win or draw could secure a spot in the knockout rounds.
Next Fixture:
📅 Real Madrid vs Red Bull Salzburg
📍 Club World Cup Group H – Final Matchday
