Borussia Dortmund dethroned Mamelodi Sundowns from the top of Group F following a 4-3 win in a Fifa Club World Cup match played at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday night.
Sundowns were leading the group with three points with Dortmund on one after the opening round of matches midweek. Dortmund’s victory has seen them leapfrogging the South Africans who now occupy second spot. The other Group F match between Fluminense (Brazil) and cellar-dwellers Ulsan HD (South Korea) will take place later at midnight.
Sundowns got out of the starting blocks quicker than Usain Bolt and had the German Bundesliga side backpedaling in the opening stages. When the Germans were gasping for some breathing air, Sundowns opened the scoring via the boot of PSL top scorer Lucas Ribeiro. He dribbled a tribe of Dortmund defenders before slicing the ball into the net.
Almost a great start
It might have been a promising start by Sundowns but after the goal, Dortmund showed their class and the big gulf in terms of football standards. They regrouped and took the game to the South Africans. A goal spree ensued and by half-time, Sundowns were trailing 3-1.
Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Willams committed a schoolboy error when, instead of clearing a soft back pass, he rolled the ball onto the path of Felix Nmeth who thankfully slotted in the equalising goal.
Dortmund’s skyscraper centre-forward Serhou Guirassy made it 2-1 with a powerful header that left Williams clutching thin air. The third goal was grabbed by Jobe Bellingham and Sundowns went to the half-time break rattled.
Promising second half
But they came back more rejuvenated, launched a decent fightback and had their opponents in all sorts of trouble.
The Germans absorbed the pressure, slowed things down and dictated the tempo of the game. They increased the scoreline and made it 4-1 via an own goal from Khuliso Mudau.
Sundowns’ red-hot striker Iqraam Rayners reduced the debt to 4-2 when his header from the rebound beat goalkeeper Gregor Kobel hands down. It was his second goal of the tournament and Sundowns were encouraged, and they pushed more men forward and also made a couple of tactical substitutions. Super-sub Lebo Mothiba made it 4-3 but it was so close and yet so far for the Tshwane outfit.
