LUSAIL (QATAR) (ITALPRESS) – Real Madrid won the new Intercontinental Cup. Prediction fulfilled at Lusail Stadium, where Carlo Ancelotti’s blancos got the better of Pachuca Mexicans, winners in June of the Concacaf Champions Cup and advanced to the finals by first winning the Derby of the Americas with Botafogo and then overcoming Al Ahly Egyptians, champions of Africa, on penalties. Ancelotti immediately launched Mbappè, recovered from injury, with Rodrygo, Bellingham and Vinicius in support but it was the Mexicans who got off to a better start, twice forcing Courtois – first through Rodriguez and then through Idrissi – to take refuge in a corner. Slow ball-playing for the Merengues, but as the minutes pass they begin to get into control, though without creating any real danger for the goal defended by Moreno. Pachuca leaves ample space for Real’s restarts, which, however, lacks in the last pass, at least until the 37′: Bellingham’s feed, Vinicius’ double pass and ball in the middle where Mbappè finds the right coordination to put in the net, confirming a special feeling with the Lusail stadium, theater of the 2022 World Cup final in which he scored a hat trick. The lead unblocked Real, which began to show up more frequently in the Mexican three-quarter, and in minute 53 the doubling also arrived with the signature of Rodrygo, who on Mbappè’s offload feinted left-footed and then right-footed it into the corner. Ancelotti allowed himself to bring out the former Psg and the Blancos let up a bit, facilitating the reaction of the Mexicans who made themselves dangerous on a couple of occasions with Rondon (Courtois was ready on the free kick, then a header just high). It was a flare-up that awakened Real, and in the 83rd minute, complete with the referee’s announcement after the Var review, an intervention by Idrissi on Lucas Vasquez was sanctioned with a penalty: from the penalty spot Vinicius made it 3-0 and sealed the deal, with Ancelotti winning his 15th trophy at the helm of the Blancos, edging out Miguel Munoz and becoming the winningest coach in the club’s history. For Real Madrid, on the other hand, it is the ninth title considering the three Intercontinental titles won when they challenged European and South American champions and the five Club World Cups. – photo Ipa Agency -(ITALPRESS).
