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Vinicius Junior scored and assisted as Real Madrid beat Salzburg 3-0 to reach the Club World Cup last 16.
Vinicius Jr for Real Madrid (AP)
Vinicius Junior played a pivotal role with a goal and an assist as Real Madrid secured their spot in the last 16 of the Club World Cup with a 3-0 victory over Salzburg on Thursday.
The Brazilian star opened the scoring at the 40-minute mark after a brilliant defence-splitting pass from Jude Bellingham. Vinicius then set up Federico Valverde for a crucial second goal during first-half stoppage time.
Gonzalo Garcia sealed the win late with his second goal of the tournament. As a result, Xabi Alonso’s team finished the first round of FIFA’s new tournament unbeaten.
Real Madrid advances to the knockout stage as Group H winners with seven points, setting up a last-16 match against Juventus in Miami on Tuesday.
Salzburg exits the tournament, while Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia progresses in second place behind Real Madrid after defeating the already eliminated Pachuca of Mexico 2-0 in Nashville. Al Hilal will face Manchester City in the last 16.
Real Madrid is adapting to life under new coach Alonso in the United States and again played without top scorer Kylian Mbappe, who has not yet featured in the Club World Cup as he recovers from illness.
Despite Mbappe’s absence, the 64,811 fans at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia were treated to a star-studded performance. The crowd reserved their loudest cheers for Bellingham, and the atmosphere remained lively despite the sudden shift from blistering heat to wet and fresh conditions.
Alonso opts for back three
Xabi Alonso stuck with a back three—Tchouameni flanked by Rudiger and Huijsen—while Alexander-Arnold and Fran Garcia operated as wing-backs.
Real Madrid, who beat Salzburg 5-1 in January, once again dominated with Vinicius Jr. central to their attack. After being denied one-on-one by keeper Christian Zawieschitzky, he broke the deadlock just before halftime, finishing a superb Bellingham pass with a low left-footed shot—his 22nd goal of the season.
Just before the break, Vinicius intercepted a deflected pass and set up Valverde with a slick back-heel to make it 2-0. Salzburg had brief openings, including one after Guler lost possession, but couldn’t capitalize.
Madrid sealed the win late when Alexander-Arnold’s long ball wasn’t cleared by Joane Gadou, allowing Gonzalo Garcia to run through and calmly slot in a third.
(with AFP inputs)
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term…Read More
After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term… Read More
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