Vinicius Junior Stars as Real Madrid Crushes RB Salzburg 3-0 to Secure Club World Cup Knockout Berth
Real Madrid secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 with an emphatic 3-0 triumph against RB Salzburg.
In a crucial Group H encounter that would determine the group winner, Real Madrid met Salzburg at Lincoln Financial Field. Similar to their earlier Champions League clash where Los Blancos dominated the Austrian side 5-1, the Spanish powerhouse excelled during the opening 45 minutes.
Under Xabi Alonso's guidance, his team dictated the match rhythm and maintained possession control, patiently waiting before creating the breakthrough moment. From his defensive position, Jude Bellingham delivered an exquisite pass to Vinícius Júnior, who completed his forward surge with a precise left-footed finish into the goal.
Merely eight minutes following Vinícius Júnior's opener, the Brazilian winger made another penetrating run into the penalty area to assist Fede Valverde's strike just before the interval. Real Madrid entered the break holding a decisive 2-0 advantage.
The Spanish champions eased their intensity in the second period, allowing Salzburg several chances to mount a comeback, but Thibaut Courtois remained resolute. Subsequently, Real Madrid quickly transitioned and Gonzalo García netted his second goal in three appearances under Alonso's management.
This 3-0 success elevated Real Madrid to Group H's summit, and Alonso's squad will now encounter Juventus in the Club World Cup round of 16.
Review the individual player assessments from the encounter below.
RB Salzburg Player Ratings vs. Real Madrid (4-4-2)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Position / Player | Ratings (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Christian Zawieschitzky | 5.1 |
RB: Stefan Lainer | 6.3 |
CB: Joane Gadou | 5.7 |
CB: Jacob Rasmussen | 6.2 |
LB: Frans Kratzig | 6.2 |
RM: Nene Dorgeles | 6.5 |
CM: Soumaila Diabate | 6.4 |
CM: Mamady Diambou | 6.1 |
LM: Oscar Gloukh | 6.8 |
ST: Edmund Baidoo | 6.3 |
ST: Petar Ratkov | 6.1 |
SUB: Maurits Kjærgaard (46' for Diambou) | 6.5 |
SUB: Adam Draghim (46' for Ratkov) | 7 |
SUB: Yorbe Vertsessen (73' for Diabate) | 6.7 |
SUB: Samson Baidoo (89' for E. Baidoo) | N/A |
SUB: Karim Onisiwo (89' for Dorgeles) | N/A |
Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. RB Salzburg (3-5-2)
*Ratings provided by FotMob*
Position / Player | Ratings (Out of 10) |
|---|---|
GK: Thibaut Courtois | 8.2 |
CB: Dean Huijsen | 7.7 |
CB: Aurélien Tchouaméni | 7.5 |
CB: Antonio Rüdiger | 6.6 |
RM: Trent Alexander-Arnold | 8.1 |
CM: Jude Bellingham | 8.2 |
CM: Fede Valverde | 8 |
CM: Arda Güler | 7.5 |
LM: Fran García | 7.8 |
ST: Gonzalo García | 8.1 |
ST: Vinícius Júnior | 8.5 |
SUB: Rodrygo (67' for Vinícius Júnior) | 6.5 |
SUB: Jacobo Ramón (67' for Rüdiger) | 6.5 |
SUB: Luka Modrić (67' for Güler) | 6.3 |
SUB: Dani Ceballos (74' for Valverde) | 5.9 |
SUB: Brahim Díaz (82' for Bellingham) | N/A |