Izuchukwu OkosiReal Madrid beat Mexican side Pachuca 3-1 Sunday night to take a big step towards qualification to the round of 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.
Real played larger spells of the Group H game with 10 men after Raul Asencio was handed a red card for fouling former West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe game in Charlotte was Xabi Alonso’s second in charge of the 15-time European champions
Pachuca were not particularly easy for Real Madrid as they got several chances and had a penalty appeal rejected by the video assistant referee.
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Real took the lead on the run of play when Jude Bellingham brilliantly reached a through pass 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 scored 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 at 2am Nigerian time.
Pachuca are already eliminated.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
