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Spanish giants Real Madrid booked a place in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium on Friday, thanks in large part to a standout performance from Türkiye international Arda Guler.
Guler, who started the match and played the full 90 minutes, provided two assists and was instrumental in his team's win. The 19-year-old midfielder also completed 96% of his passes and delivered two key passes in a commanding display.
Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Gonzalo Garcia found the net after a clever assist from Guler. Ten minutes later, Fran Garcia doubled the lead, sending the Spanish side into halftime with a 2-0 advantage.
Dortmund pushed back late in the match, pulling a goal back in the 90+3rd minute through Beier. But just one minute later, Kylian Mbappe volleyed home another assist from Guler to make it 3-1.
Guirassy converted a penalty in the 90+8th minute, but it was not enough to stop Madrid from advancing.
Speaking after the match, goalscorer Gonzalo Garcia credited Guler for his awareness and vision.
"Arda came to me before the goal and told me he would find me in the space in front of Dortmund's defense. He did exactly that—his pass made the goal very easy for me," Garcia said.
The match marked another milestone in Guler’s growing role at Madrid, following the appointment of head coach Xabi Alonso. After struggling for minutes last season, the young midfielder has become a regular starter.
"The coach talks to me a lot; he trusts me," Guler said. "He changed my position, and now I feel better in midfield. I touch the ball more and try to organize the game, which he expects from me. I even enjoy defending now."
Real Madrid will face Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-final.
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