Borussia Dortmund capitalised on an early defensive error and held off a late surge by Mamelodi Sundowns to secure a 4-3 win in a sweltering Club World Cup group stage clash at TQL Stadium on Saturday.
Both players and the crowd of 14,006 endured intense heat, with on-field cooling breaks implemented as temperatures soared to nearly 90°F (32°C) under a heat advisory.
The Sundowns struck first with a swift counterattack that Lucas Ribeiro Costa finished in the 11th minute. But Dortmund responded five minutes later when goalkeeper Ronwen Williams mistakenly passed the ball to Felix Nmecha, who easily converted the opportunity to level the score.
The Bundesliga side took full momentum from the miscue, building a 3-1 lead by halftime through goals from Serhou Guirassy in the 34th minute and Jobe Bellingham in the 45th.
An own goal by Khuliso Mudau, who misdirected Daniel Svensson’s cross in the 59th minute, gave Dortmund a 4-1 advantage. However, the South African champions mounted a strong response. Iqraam Rayners struck in the 62nd minute after his initial header bounced off the post, and Lebo Mothiba netted in the 90th to make it 4-3.
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Despite the late push, the Sundowns could not recover from earlier defensive lapses.
Notably, American midfielder Gio Reyna, who is with Dortmund instead of the U.S. national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, remained on the bench for the second match in a row.
Key Moment:
Nmecha’s equaliser — gifted by a misplaced pass from the Sundowns keeper — swung the match’s momentum in Dortmund’s favour.
Group Implications:
The result sends Dortmund to the top of Group H, overtaking Sundowns, who now face a must-win clash against Fluminense on Wednesday. Dortmund will meet Ulsan the same day.
What They Said:
“I think we did very well first of all, but we just lacked a bit of concentration in a few little bits. … We gave them a hard time,” said Sundowns forward Tashreeq Matthews.
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“It was really difficult, especially for us, being a European team. They played a fantastic game, and I’m sure they’re used to that kind of weather. … In the game, you have to find little fixes,” said Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham.
Source: With inputs from agency