Borussia Dortmund held off a stirring second-half fightback from Monterrey to complete the Club World Cup quarter-final line-up with a 2-1 win in a round-of-16 thriller at the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Tuesday.

Clinical finishes from Serhou Guirassy in the 14th and 24th minutes put Dortmund on top at the break but German Berterame hit back for Monterrey in the 48th minute and the Mexican club pressed for an equaliser until the final whistle.

The Dortmund defence held firm, however, to set up a last-eight meeting with 15-times European champions Real Madrid in New Jersey on Saturday.

There will be no reunion for the Bellingham family, however, with a yellow card shown to Dortmund’s Jobe in the 28th minute ruling him out of the clash with big brother Jude’s Real.

“It was difficult. They’re a good team with experienced players,” said Guinean Guirassy.

“I think we had a very good first half. Second half was a bit harder, but the mindset was tough and we won so we’re all happy tonight.”

The first 10 minutes of the clash were frenetic with plenty of full-blooded challenges and the first of a string of dangerous long-range shots from Monterrey’s Nelson Deossa the best of the early efforts.

Dortmund strike duo Guirassy and Karim Adeyemi took over in the 14th minute with a neat exchange of touches on the edge of the box setting the former free to drill the ball inside the near post.

Monterrey left winger Jesus Corona hit the outside of the post with a cross-shot and another Deossa strike tested goalkeeper Gregor Kobel minutes later but Dortmund soon doubled the lead.

Julian Ryerson won possession with a physical challenge and his long-ball found Adeyemi racing towards goal, the 23-year-old holding up his run before laying the ball on a plate for Guirassy to slot it past goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.

Guirassy should have had a hat-trick before halftime but spurned gilt-edged chances provided by Bellingham and Pascal Gross passes.

Monterrey brought their fans back into the match with a storming start to the second half, however, and quickly cut the deficit in half.

Corona, a constant threat throughout the match, curled a cross to the far post where Erick Aguirre headed the ball back across goal and Berterame nodded it past Kobel.

Monterrey continued to pour forward looking for an equaliser, Corona having one chance saved by Kobel and blasting another over the bar before Berterame found the net from an offside position.

A couple of 70th minute substitutions helped Dortmund find a bit more composure, and Guirassy had a couple of half-chances to grab his third goal before Monterrey got back on the attack.

Sergio Ramos, who was hoping for his own reunion with Real, moved forward to help his forwards and grazed the outside of the post with a header in the last few seconds of normal time, but there was to be no fairytale finish for the Spain great.

“I think I could have scored maybe three goals at least,” Guirassy, who was named Player of the Match, added. “I expect a tough game (against Real), but we’ll be prepared.”

-Reuters

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In Orlando, USA, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal pulled off one of the most stunning upsets in Club World Cup history on Monday night, edging Manchester City 4-3 after extra time in a dramatic seven-goal encounter in Orlando.

Brazilian forward Marcos Leonardo was the hero of the night, netting twice – including the decisive goal in the 112th minute – to send the Riyadh-based club into the quarter-final, where they will face Fluminense of Brazil.

The match was packed with drama from start to finish, with Bernardo Silva putting City in front as early as the ninth minute.

The Portuguese midfielder tapped home from close range after a miscued clearance by Renan Lodi fell kindly inside the six-yard box.

Although Al-Hilal protested over a potential handball in the build-up involving Rayan Ait-Nouri, the referee allowed the goal to stand.

But City’s early lead was undone within moments of the restart. Al-Hilal struck twice in six minutes – first through Leonardo, who nodded into an empty net after Ederson blocked a low cross from Malcom, and then via Malcom himself, who coolly finished after a defence-splitting long ball from João Cancelo.

Erling Haaland quickly brought City level in the 55th minute, heading in from a corner delivered by Silva, but was later denied a second by a last-ditch clearance from Ali Lajami.

Extra-time proved just as intense. Four minutes in, Kalidou Koulibaly rose highest to glance home a header from Rúben Neves’ corner, restoring Al-Hilal’s advantage. City responded once again when Phil Foden, teed up by Rayan Cherki, volleyed in a superb equaliser to make it 3-3.

But the final word belonged to Leonardo. After Ederson parried a powerful header from Sergej Milinković-Savić, Leonardo stumbled but managed to bundle in the rebound to seal a famous win for the Saudi champions.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult game against one of the best teams in the world,” said a jubilant Kalidou Koulibaly.

“We showed our ideas, our talent, our power – both defensively and offensively. Every opportunity we had, we took it. We can be very happy.”

City’s defeat means they exit the tournament early, while Al-Hilal march on to face Copa Libertadores championsFluminense in a highly anticipated quarter-final showdown.

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Botafogo have sacked manager Renato Paiva following their Club World Cup exit, the Brazilian club said, despite his side beating Champions League winners Paris St Germain earlier in the competition.

Paiva’s team went out at the last 16 stage with a 1-0 loss after extra-time to fellow-Brazilian club Palmeiras, and the manager has paid the price after just four months in charge.

Botafogo grabbed the spotlight at the Club World Cup when they beat PSG 1-0 in the group stage, having earlier defeated Seattle Sounders, and they advanced as Group B runners-up despite a 1-0 defeat by Atletico Madrid.

“The Club thanks Paiva and his assistants for their services to Botafogo over the last few months,” a club statement on social media said.

“Particularly for the historic victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup and the qualification for the round of 16 of the (Copa) Libertadores and Copa do Brasil.”

-Reuters

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