Facing Real is like a dream come true for Pachuca players

More than nine months ago, Pachuca started a journey which has taken them over land and sea, from near and far, all the way to the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024 final in QatarLos Tuzos, indeed, kickstarted their Concacaf Champions Cup campaign all the way back in March with a 6-0 thumping of Philadelphia Union, before a similarly comprehensive 7-2 aggregate victory over Herediano. Fellow Mexican outfit Club America were swept aside in the semi-finals, paving the way for a 3-0 victory over Columbus Crew in the June decider.That victory clinched the club a sixth continental crown and secured their place in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2024. They faced a Botafogo side in the FIFA Derby of the Americas on December 11 at Stadium 974 which had recently claimed both continental and domestic honours, but showed no fear as they dismantled their Brazilian counterparts 3-0.A match against Al Ahly in the FIFA Challenger Cup – the club’s ninth game all told in this mammoth quest for global glory – stood between Guillermo Almada’s charges and a place in the final against Real Madrid at Lusail Stadium on Wednesday.Penalties would decide the destination of the trophy. Despite Pachuca missing their opening two spot-kicks, the Hidalgo-based club sensationally prevailed 6-5 after Al Ahly’s Khaled Abdelfattah hit the crossbar in sudden death."All of my nerves went away, it’s an indescribable emotion,” defender Bryan Gonzalez said of the moment the ball hit the bar."I’m so happy for the result. It’s a team effort and I’m proud of them. I’m very excited, very happy, [and] proud of this team for its unity, the humility that it has and now we’ll continue working for what’s ahead.”After captain Salomon Rondon and fellow forward Borja Baston saw their penalties saved and clear the crossbar respectively, their opponents netted three on the bounce and were on the cusp of advancing, until missing two of their own. "I still can’t believe it,” defender Luis Rodriguez, who scored his side’s seventh penalty, said following the game."Anyone can miss or make a penalty, but in that moment I thought of a thousand things, mostly my family. The penalties were crazy. We started by missing, but that’s football – anything can happen and more so in penalties. Today, it was our turn to enjoy [a] triumph.”Despite travelling more than 8,000 miles to reach Doha and playing against Botafogo just three days prior, Pachuca attacked with intent and didn’t stop until the final whistle after 120 minutes of intense action. Midfielder Nelson Deossa, who also converted from the spot, believes that will hold them in good stead going into their Madrid clash."The intensity to always go forward is something that we work on daily,” the Colombian said. "We are an aggressive team and we always work on intensity, aggressiveness. It’s something that always characterises us. I’m so happy about this win. It was a difficult game, but we knew how to face it and we got to the penalty shootout, it happened and we won, thank God.”Now, only Real Madrid stand in Pachuca’s way of global glory and their fourth trophy of the year. The excitement in the Pachuca camp is palpable. "I feel very proud, very happy,” Deossa continued."All of the work that we have been doing has a great [reward] and it is a big final, to face the biggest team in the world. We hope to come out as champions. It’s a tough game, but we must dream it. Ever since you are a boy, you dream of these moments (facing Real Madrid),” Gonzalez added. "To achieve it is a boyhood dream of mine, it’s an honour. Now, we’re going to give it our all in this final and try to win it.” (fifa.com)