TEN-MAN Real Madrid beat Mexican side Pachuca to take a big step towards the Fifa Club World Cup knockout stages.
Xabi Alonso’s side were reduced to 10 men early on in Charlotte when Raul Asencio fouled Salomon Rondon when the veteran former West Brom striker was through on goal.
Pachuca caused Real problems and had several chances and a penalty appeal rejected by the video assistant referee.
Real took the lead when Jude Bellingham ran on to a pass, carried the ball into the box and slotted a well-hit effort past the goalkeeper.
Arda Guler doubled the lead after Gonzalo Garcia laid off the ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass.
Federico Valverde stabbed home their third before Elias Montiel’s deflected effort gave Pachuca faint hope.
Real will be in the last 16 if they beat Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg on Friday (02:00 BST). Pachuca are eliminated.
The scoreline would suggest a fairly comfortable Real Madrid win but that does not really tell the story. After drawing 1-1 in Xabi Alonso’s opening game in charge against Al-Hilal, this marked their first win but they were made to work for it on another hot day – about 33C in front of 70,248 fans.
Pachuca, who had an extra man for 83 minutes, had 25 shots to Real’s eight and were made to pay for missing chances.
Real looked shaky at the back – especially when Rondon was kept onside before Asencio brought him down – and were tested thoroughly by 2018-19 Newcastle team-mates Rondon and Kenedy.
But a win is a win and they will now be confident of progression – when they will hope to have Kylian Mbappe back after a bout of gastroenteritis.
Without Thibaut Courtois in goal this could have been different. The Real keeper ended up making 10 saves, including a crucial double stop to deny Rondon and Alan Bautista – and a save to prevent Carlos Sanchez from making it 3-2.
Bellingham got his 15th goal of 2024-25 – or his first goal of 2025-26 – depending how you look at it.
England team-mate Alexander-Arnold did not do too much of note, on his second appearance for the club, but had a hand in Real’s second goal.