Borussia Dortmund secured their place in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter-finals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Monterrey in Atlanta. Serhou Guirassy's first-half brace proved decisive, although Monterrey mounted a strong second-half comeback.
The match, held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, saw Dortmund take an early lead. Karim Adeyemi played a crucial role, setting up Guirassy for the opening goal in the 14th minute. Adeyemi again assisted Guirassy ten minutes later, with the Guinean international stroking home from the edge of the box. Monterrey almost equalized in between Guirassy's goals, but Jesus Corona's cross bounced off the post.
Monterrey started the second half strongly, with German Berterame pulling a goal back in the 48th minute. The Liga MX side then pushed for an equalizer, but Gregor Kobel, Dortmund's goalkeeper, made a crucial save to deny Jesus Corona. Berterame had another chance, but his 65th-minute effort was ruled offside. Dortmund's defense ultimately held firm to secure the win.
Dortmund will now face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals in New Jersey. However, they will be without Jobe Bellingham, who is suspended due to yellow-card accumulation.
Guirassy's two goals bring his tournament tally to five, making him the leading scorer. Dortmund's quick signing of Guirassy from Stuttgart for €18 million last summer has proven to be a shrewd move, with his goals effectively repaying his transfer fee.
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 features an expanded format with 32 teams. The tournament is being held in the United States from June 14 to July 13, 2025. The teams are divided into eight groups of four, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage. The winners of the top club competitions from each confederation from 2021 through 2024 qualified, along with the highest-ranked team from the Oceania confederation and additional teams based on club ranking over the four-year period.
The FIFA Council approved the slot allocation for the tournament based on objective metrics, with UEFA receiving the most slots (12) and CONMEBOL the second most (6). AFC, CAF, and CONCACAF were each given four slots, while OFC and the host association received one slot each. Inter Miami CF secured the host association slot by winning the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield.
