Charlotte, June 23 (V7N) — Spanish giants Real Madrid secured an impressive 3-1 victory over Mexican side Pachuca in their second Group H match of the FIFA Club World Cup, thanks largely to the heroic performance of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

The match took place on Sunday at Charlotte, North Carolina, where Los Blancos played without star forward Kylian Mbappe, who was sidelined due to illness.

Real Madrid faced early adversity as Raul Asensio received a straight red card just 7 minutes into the match for pulling down an opposing player from behind, leaving his team with 10 men. Pachuca capitalized on their numerical advantage, launching relentless attacks, but Courtois stood firm between the posts, producing 10 crucial saves throughout the match.

After surviving the early onslaught, the Spanish champions gradually settled into rhythm. Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock in the 35th minute with a stunning left-footed strike, courtesy of a Vinicius Junior assist.

Seven minutes later, young Turkish midfielder Arda Guler doubled Real’s lead with a clinical finish, giving coach Xabi Alonso’s men a 2-0 advantage at halftime.

Federico Valverde extended the lead further in the 70th minute, seemingly putting the game beyond Pachuca’s reach.

However, Pachuca managed to pull one back in the 80th minute when Elias Montiel’s shot deflected off a Real defender into the net. Despite late pressure from the Mexican side, Real Madrid comfortably held on to seal the 3-1 win.

With this result, Real Madrid sits atop Group H with 4 points from two matches (one win, one draw), boosting their chances of reaching the knockout stage of the tournament.

END/SMA/AJ