Bellingham strikes as Dortmund sink Sundowns in Club World Cup thriller
Borussia Dortmund's Jobe Bellingham followed older brother Jude's footsteps by joining the Bundesliga club. (AP pic)
CINCINNATI : Jobe Bellingham netted his first Borussia Dortmund goal in a gripping 4-3 win over Mamelodi Sundowns at the Club World Cup on Saturday.
The English midfielder, who this month followed older brother Jude's footsteps in joining the German side, started for the first time for Dortmund.
Sundowns of South Africa took a surprise early lead but Dortmund hit back strongly to triumph in sweltering conditions in Cincinnati at the TQL stadium and move top of Group F.
'It's a really nice bonus (to score), I'm glad we won but there's a lot of things for me to improve on personally and for the team,' Bellingham told DAZN.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovac had claimed teams from the 'south' had an advantage because of the heat, and the Sundowns 11th minute opener appeared to confirm his fears.
Lucas Ribeiro's fine solo goal put the CAF Champions League runners-up ahead, with the Brazilian charging forward from his own half before beating Gregor Kobel.
However Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams handed Dortmund their equaliser on a plate, passing the ball straight to Felix Nmecha, who stroked home.
Both stoppers made good saves in an end-to-end clash before Dortmund claimed the lead through striker Serhou Guirassy.
Dortmund won the ball high up the pitch and Julian Brandt crossed for the Guinea international to score with a fine leap and header, continuing his fine form this season.
Bellingham, who joined earlier in June from Sunderland for €33 million (US$37 million), netted Dortmund's third just before the break.
Williams parried a cross into his path and after controlling on his chest, Bellingham drilled home.
'I've practised that so many times, arriving late on the edge of the box as a midfielder is something you have to be really good at,' said Bellingham.
'As a kid and at Sunderland I've practised that so many times, during training, after training, so I'm really proud of it.'
His brother Jude signed for Dortmund five years ago, before joining Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2023.
'Hey Jobe,' sang Dortmund fans, adapting the Beatles classic 'Hey Jude' which they used to sing to Jude Bellingham.
'I didn't hear that but it's really nice,' said the Dortmund midfielder.
Dortmund were toothless in their opening draw against Fluminense but grabbed their fourth when Kuliso Mudau turned into his own net as he tried to cut out a cross.
Three minutes later Iqraam Rayners pulled one back as the Sundowns, who have won the last eight South African league titles, refused to give up.
Rayners, who netted Sundowns' winner in the first match against Ulsan HD, hit the post with a header and reacted quickly to nod home the rebound.
Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso's side pulled back another through Lebo Mothiba in the 90th minute, forcing Dortmund to sweat through six minutes of stoppage time before they were able to celebrate their victory.
'The result is not what we wanted but we made a wonderful game,' Cardoso told DAZN.
'It's important people understand what was at stake in this match. (Considering) the level of team that we played against, we worked fantastically.
'The boys made a wonderful performance… it was a hell of a match. I'm not happy but very proud.'
Later Saturday in the other Group F clash Fluminense take on Ulsan at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Man City, Real, Juventus Advance to Club World Cup Last 16
MANCHESTER CITY hit Al Ain for six on Sunday to secure a place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup after Real Madrid shrugged off an early red card to beat Mexican side Pachuca 3-1. Juventus proved too strong for Wydad Casablanca while Red Bull Salzburg and Al Hilal drew 0-0 as the second round of group games at the tournament came to a conclusion. The match between City and Al Ain in Atlanta was dubbed the 'Abu derby', with the English club's owner and United Arab Emirates vice-president Sheikh Mansour facing off against his elder sibling, Sheikh Mohamed, president of the Emirati team and also the country. Ilkay Gundogan put City ahead early on before 19-year-old Claudio Echeverri netted his first goal for the club with a free-kick and Erland Haaland slotted in the third with a penalty in first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Gundogan struck again before two substitutes joined in, with Oscar Bobb rolling in the fifth and Rayan Cherki grabbing his first City goal for 6-0. The result, in a game watched by a crowd of over 40,000, means both City and Juventus are through to the knockout phase after each winning their first two matches in Group G. They will now face each other in Orlando on Thursday to decide who tops the section. 'Now we have to see whether we'll be first or second in the group,' said City coach Pep Guardiola, who changed his entire starting line-up following the 2-0 opening win against Wydad. 'We played a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half.' Juventus triumphed 4-1 against Moroccan giants Wydad in Philadelphia, as Kenan Yildiz played a starring role. Yildiz stars for Juventus The Turkish international forward scored twice after forcing the early own goal which put Juve ahead in front of almost 32,000 at Lincoln Financial Field. His shot found the net with the aid of a slight but crucial deflection off Abdelmounaim Boutouil, and Yildiz then smashed in the second on 16 minutes with a brilliant half-volley. South African winger Thembinkosi Lorch pulled one back for Wydad, but the impressive Yildiz made it 3-1 midway through the second half and Dusan Vlahovic converted a penalty in injury time to seal the win for Igor Tudor's side. 'He has great potential,' Tudor told broadcaster DAZN when asked about Yildiz. 'A wonderful player, so there is a big future in front of him.' In Charlotte, Real Madrid overcame the early sending-off of Raul Asencio to beat Pachuca and get their first win under new coach Xabi Alonso. Defender Asencio was dismissed after just seven minutes for pulling down Salomon Rondon with the Venezuelan clear on goal. That left the Liga MX team sensing the chance for an upset in front of 70,248 fans at the home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Rudiger complains of racist insult However, Real took the lead on 35 minutes when Jude Bellingham buried a left-foot shot into the bottom corner, and they scored again before the interval through Arda Guler. Fede Valverde got their third in the second half, with a deflected Elias Montiel effort pulling one back for Pachuca. Alonso praised the way his team handled the early sending-off. 'It became really intense for us, but we defended with a lot of sacrifice and solidarity, which is what it takes,' he said. Alonso also said that Real defender Antonio Rudiger had complained of a racist incident at the end of the game when the German was visibly angered following an exchange of words with Pachuca's Gustavo Cabral. 'I think the FIFA protocol has been activated to investigate, but if it has happened, all measures should be taken and we support Antonio because it's something unacceptable,' said the coach. Cabral, the 39-year-old Argentinian centre-back, denied the accusations, saying his words had been misinterpreted. Real are level at the top of Group H on four points with Salzburg, who drew 0-0 with Al Hilal in Washington, DC. Madrid and Salzburg meet each other next in Philadelphia, while Al Hilal have two points and can still qualify with a win when they play Pachuca, who are now out.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Frimpong Ready to Replace Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool
TRENT Alexander-Arnold left 'big shoes' to fill after leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid last month but new signing Jeremie Frimpong has no doubt he has the ability to replace the England international in the Premier League champions' defence. Frimpong's arrival from Bayer Leverkusen was announced hours after Alexander-Arnold joined Real Madrid, with the Dutch international becoming Arne Slot's first signing since winning the English top flight. 'Liverpool. It's a big club, so it's big shoes regardless,' Frimpong told Sky Sports in an interview published on Sunday, when asked if he would compete with Conor Bradley to succeed Alexander-Arnold as Liverpool's first choice for right back. 'It's a winning team ... they win trophies for a reason. If you play for a team like Liverpool you have to fill in the shoes and perform. 'I've always believed in myself. I'm a winner. That's what I'm going to bring to the team.' Amsterdam-born Frimpong, who can also play as a winger, spent nine years at Manchester City as a youth player before making his senior debut in 2019 at Celtic, who won the Scottish Premiership in his first season. The 24-year-old joined Leverkusen in 2021 and made 34 appearances as they won the Bundesliga in 2023-24. 'The Premier League is the best league in the world. I grew up in Manchester so I always wanted to come back. It was always the plan,' Frimpong said. 'I know what being a champion is like at Bayer Leverkusen, so joining a champion team is a privilege ... to go from watching (Liverpool) to playing for them is crazy. 'The manager has told me how I can help the team and he really likes me as a player. It's given me extra motivation and belief.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Guardiola Hails Echeverri After Stunning Free-Kick Goal
MANCHESTER CITY coach Pep Guardiola praised teenage attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri's dedication on the training ground after he netted a fine free-kick in the Club World Cup win over Al Ain on Sunday. The 19-year-old scored City's second goal in a 6-0 rout of the UAE side in Atlanta which sent the Premier League club through to the last 16 of FIFA's expanded competition. On his first start for the club Echeverri notched his first goal, with the youngster taking charge of a dead-ball situation on the edge of the box and whipping his effort around the wall into the top corner. 'I want to tell you something, so since he arrived (in January), the (last) three or four months with the lads, at the end of the training session, he was practising the free-kicks alone, with the 'keeper, with the wall,' Guardiola told reporters. 'The others, they didn't practise, he was practising and practising, and work pays off. 'So at the end, he had the courage, the quality. When you practise, you know, it's like golf or like basketball, as much you practise free shots, the more chances you have.' Echeverri, nicknamed the 'Little Devil', joined from Argentine giants River Plate and made his City debut in May, in the FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace. Guardiola took him off at half-time for Phil Foden, later explaining the playmaker had suffered a small knock. 'It was a fantastic goal, he's an incredible player in the small spaces,' continued the City coach. 'Unfortunately, he could not continue to half-time (because of) a problem with the ankle, but yeah, he was truly good in the first minutes, and... he made a fantastic goal, the free kick was really, really, really good.' With two late goals in the game from Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki, City came close to overtaking Juventus at the top of Group G. They are level on points with the Old Lady but trail them on goals scored, meaning if City are to finish top of the group and potentially avoid Real Madrid in the last 16, they must beat Juve on Thursday in Orlando. 'With one more goal we'd have two options. Now we have just one, maybe it's better,' said Guardiola. '(What's) important is that we are in the next phase... (we will face the) top, top teams sooner or later so it doesn't matter. 'We (will eventually) see the Brazilian teams, European top-class teams, so it's not a big concern.
