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10-man Real Madrid have beaten Pachuca 3-1 to record their first win of the 2025 Club World Cup.
The Spanish side lost centre-back Raul Asencio in just the seventh minute after his denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity for Salomon Rondon, but still found a way to take a 2-0 lead into half-time.
Jude Bellingham finished brilliantly in the 35th minute before Arda Guler added a second just before the interval. Fede Valverde wrapped up the victory in the 70th minute, latching onto Brahim Diaz's superb cross.
Pachuca had plenty of chances throughout the game and finally breached Thibaut Courtois' defences via Elias Montiel's deflected effort.
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Xabi Alonso has been speaking to the media and gave his thoughts on two players involved in the big moments of this match in Thibaut Courtois and Raul Asencio.
Here's what he had to say while chatting to DAZN post-match:
💬 “We are so happy that we have Thibaut. In many games he has shown he is so reliable.
“Offensively today we had to rely on one player because we had one player less, it became really intense for us but we defended well and I'm pleased with the performance with one less player.
“We will have time to talk (to Asencio). He needs to learn from experience, this one early in the game you need to let him take the chance and not bring him down. He will learn from this one for the future.”
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Elias Montiel impressed in this match and the 19-year-old got his reward for an impressive performance when he drilled a low shot past Thibaut Courtois.
What a grand stage to put in a good performance, too. He was a constant threat and was good value for his goal.
Opta stats tell us Real Madrid have attempted 27 shots in their two matches under new head coach Xabi Alonso.
That is their second lowest tally after the first two games with the same manager in all competitions since at least 2009/10 (Julen Lopetegui, with 24).
Here’s how we rate the Pachuca players after that second half:
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How about this for a photo — Valverde celebrates his goal for Madrid along with Vinicius Junior and Brahim Diaz.
A move and a goal well worthy of a look to the heavens.
What a game! As we digest that match, here’s how we rate Real Madrid’s players:
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Valverde was absolutely everywhere and got his reward with a wall-taken goal in the second half.
So often Madrid’s star player in games this season, he drifted infield and caused all sorts of problems for Pachuca going forward.
A lovely surging run to get on the end of Brahim Diaz’s chipped pass made for a great finish for Madrid’s third goal.
He gets our (unofficial) vote for player of the match.
At 20 years and 57 days, Arda Guler has become the youngest player to score 10 goals for Real Madrid in all competitions since at least 2009/10, surpassing Vinicius Junior's previous record in 2020 (20 years and 80 days old).
Thanks to our friends at Opta for that stat.
FT Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
And there it is!
The final whistle blows at Bank of America Stadium and Real Madrid's first win of the 2025 Club World Cup is confirmed.
And that is also Xabi Alonso's first win as Madrid manager — a good day out for him and his players, despite the early red card.
90+4' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Rudiger and veteran Gustavo Cabral tussle inside the box as they wait for a cross, a bit of holding, a little push, and Cabral sort of flicks his arm out in a ‘get off’ motion.
Cabral's fingers accidentally sort of brush relatively close to Rudiger's face, who goes down dramatically.
Anyway, no foul and play continues.
90+3' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Five minutes of added time. Three of them served.
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89' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Time ticking towards 90 minutes.
Pachuca pushing for a goal that would make it an interesting period of added time…
Arda Guler as a starter and both Brahim Diaz and academy player Victor Munoz from the bench ahead of Rodrygo Goes today.
87' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
…with 21-year-old academy product Victor Munoz brought on to lead the line.
As Felipe Cardenas pointed out earlier, Elias Montiel of Pachuca stood out in the clubs' last meeting in December despite a 3-0 loss, earning himself a firm handshake and encouragement from Madrid president Florentino Perez and some of his aides.
Today he has a goal against one of the best teams in the world. Nice moment for him.
Rudiger back out onto the pitch is great news for Madrid. It’s his first game since the Copa del Rey final in late April, and he’s just back from a knee operation.
Alonso will really want to get him quickly up to speed, and with Asencio suspended for Thursday’s final group game against RB Salzburg, the hope would be that he would be ready to start then.
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Pachuca was always going to be outmatched. The chances of defeating Real Madrid were very slim, but this is a humiliating result for the Mexican side.
Pachuca are the reigning CONCACAF Champions Cup winners. They’re a proud club with a history of overachieving.
To be down 3-1 with a man advantage (since the seventh minute) is brutal for the team’s morale.
Pachuca's 22nd shot at goal finds the net, via Tchouameni's foot deflecting it past Courtois.
Quite passive from Madrid to allow Montiel the space to shoot, with a feeling the game is already won.
80' Real Madrid 3-1 Pachuca
Elias Montiel finds the net!
Out of almost nothing.
The teenage midfielder, 19, picked the ball up outside the box, shot, and it took a significant deflection before the ball nestled in the net past a helpless Courtois.
It was always going to take a special strike like that or a bit of luck to beat the big Belgian today.
