Borussia Dortmund coach blames hot weather for poor performance against Mamelodi Sundowns
TOUGH CONDITIONS Sundowns' South African forward Lebo Mothiba (C) reacts after scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group F football match between South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns and Germany's Borussia Dortmund at the TQL stadium in Cincinnati on June 21, 2025. Picture: Federico Parra/AFP
Borussia Dortmund substitutes cowered from the sun in the team's Club World Cup win over Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, in conditions coach Niko Kovac described as like "a sauna".
The German side won 4-3 in Cincinnati at the TQL Stadium under a blazing sun, with the team's reserves watching the first half from the dressing room and the second under umbrellas on the bench.
"I'm sweating like I've just come out of a sauna," said Kovac, who had already complained about the expected conditions on Friday before the Group F clash with the South Africans.
"It was tough going for both teams, but the opposition are used to it. We certainly didn't give our best performance, but that wasn't possible today.'
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