Real Madrid cruised to a dominant 3-1 win over Pachuca in their opening Group H contest. That tense battle happened on a soccer field — specifically at Club World Cup Charlotte — Charlotte, North Carolina. This match represented a huge breakthrough for Xabi Alonso. It was a special moment for Ancelotti – his first victory with the helm of the historic Spanish club. Despite facing a challenging situation where his team played with only ten players for most of the game, Alonso’s side displayed resilience and skill to clinch the win.
It was a dramatic beginning to an unexpected thriller of a match. In the 7th minute, Raul Asencio saw a straight red for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. Going one man down would have disheartened most teams, but Real Madrid swiftly picked themselves up again. It was suddenly 2-1, with Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler scoring in first-half stoppage time. With those goals in mind, Madrid helped the Sparks race to a dominant 2-0 halftime lead.
Thibaut Courtois proved to be the match’s defining player. He registered ten saves, the most in a CONCACAF final match, keeping Pachuca’s offensive advances from getting them any results. The Mexican side controlled 68 percent possession and registered a staggering 25 shots, with 11 shots on goal. No matter what the Flamengo players tried, they couldn’t penetrate Madrid’s back line. Federico Valverde sealed the victory with a sliding volley in the 70th minute, showcasing Real Madrid’s ability to counterattack effectively.
Alonso, too, was happy with his team’s showing, although the Spanish manager did single out Courtois for acclaiming his superb goalkeeping.
“We are so happy to have Courtois in goal,” – Xabi Alonso
Bellingham’s contributions deeply mattered not only in scoring but in leadership on the pitch. He was subsequently awarded player of the match for his crucial contribution in preserving the victory.
“We stayed together well [after the red card]. Obviously, Raul [Asencio] made a mistake. He is young and it will happen,” – Jude Bellingham
Bellingham went on to drive home the need for collective strength in tough times, saying,
“It was impressive to see how the team came together and won the game.” – Jude Bellingham
With this win, Real Madrid retains its position to march into the last 16 of the tournament. A win or a draw in their next match against RB Salzburg will ensure their place in the knockout stage.
