'We lacked personality' - Salomón Rondón, Pachuca fall to 10-man Real Madrid, eliminated from Club World Cup

Pachuca’s FIFA Club World Cup journey came to a disappointing end after their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday, sealing their elimination from the tournament. Their campaign has been marred by missed opportunities, most notably in this match, despite enjoying a numerical advantage early on.

Early in the game, Pachuca saw Real Madrid do serious damage, and they failed to capitalize on a power-play situation after Raúl Asencio was sent off in the sixth minute. Veteran striker Salomón Rondón didn’t mince words afterward.

“We lacked personality - real character to build play, create chances, even entering midfield,” he said after the game. “They dropped back, and their striker often dropped into midfield. Their defensive organization was spot-on, they took their chances, and we didn’t. Too many lapses cost us.”

Manager Jaime Lozano concurred, reflecting on what might have been a historic result for a Mexican club.

“You leave feeling heated because chances like this don’t come around that often for Mexican teams,” Lozano said. “We believed we had a shot; we prepared, and this was our chance. You must kill Madrid off when you get them - they can turn it at any moment.”

Despite enjoying a numerical advantage from the sixth minute, Pachuca couldn’t find a way past Real Madrid’s resolute backline. The Mexican side fired 11 shots on target - compared to just three from Madrid - but failed to convert any, while the Spanish giants were clinical, scoring all three of their attempts on goal.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was instrumental in preserving the clean sheet, recording 10 saves in one of his most commanding performances of the tournament. The win pushed Real Madrid to four points in Group H, putting them in a strong position to advance to the knockout stage.

Pachuca will now conclude their tournament on Thursday against Al Hilal. The loss Sunday marked the end of their Club World Cup aspirations.