Real Madrid got their FIFA Club World Cup campaign back on track with a resilient 3-1 victory over Pachuca at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. Despite defender Raúl Asencio’s early dismissal for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in the seventh minute, Los Blancos showed remarkable character under the sweltering sun.

The hosts absorbed heavy pressure from the Mexican side—who outshot Madrid 25–8 overall—before striking twice in the final quarter of the first half. In the 35th minute, Jude Bellingham expertly met Fran García’s cutback to fire a low finish from 15 yards. Then, on the stroke of halftime, young Arda Guler finished a flowing move, converting Gonzalo García’s square pass after a pinpoint Trent Alexander-Arnold cross.

With the momentum firmly in their favor, Madrid continued to control the contest after the break. Thibaut Courtois, named man of the match, made 10 crucial saves, including a fingertip stop to deny Bryan González. Federico Valverde then wrapped up the win in the 70th minute, unleashing a sliding volley into the corner, before Pachuca pulled one back through Elias Montiel’s deflected strike in the 80th.

Xabi Alonso praised his squad’s unity and Courtois’s reliability under pressure: “We defended with a lot of sacrifice and waited for our chances,” he said. Madrid can now secure a last-16 berth with a win or draw against RB Salzburg on Thursday in Philadelphia