Post by : Jyoti Gupta

Photo:AP

Real Madrid advanced to the quarterfinals of the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Juventus, thanks to a decisive goal by 21-year-old forward Gonzalo García. The young star scored his third goal of the tournament with a powerful header in the 54th minute, continuing his standout performance in the absence of striker Kylian Mbappé.

García has started all four matches of the tournament due to Mbappé being sidelined with a gastrointestinal illness. On Tuesday, García once again stepped up for the team, finding the net and contributing to the scoreline for the fourth match in a row. His goal came just minutes after Real Madrid forced Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio into multiple spectacular saves early in the second half.

The first half ended goalless, marking the first time either team had failed to score in the opening half during this tournament. Juventus came close when Randal Kolo Muani missed a chance early in the match, while Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde also saw an attempt denied before the break.

Real Madrid dominated the second half, creating numerous chances and finishing with 11 shots on target, compared to Juventus’ 2. Despite Di Gregorio’s outstanding performance with 10 saves, he could not stop García’s match-winning header.

Mbappé, who had missed the group stage due to illness and was briefly hospitalized, returned to action in the 68th minute, replacing García. It marked the star forward’s first appearance in the competition.

Real Madrid now heads into the quarterfinals with strong momentum and a rising talent in García proving his worth on the global stage.

Club World Cup