Latest news with #CWC2025
TimesLIVE
36 minutes ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Sundowns' Club World Cup dream not over yet despite loss to Dortmund
Mamelodi Sundowns will have to beat Brazilian team Fluminense in their last Group F match at the Fifa Club World Cup in the US to make it to last 16 of the competition after giving away an early lead to end up losing 4-3 to German giants Borussia Dortmund at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday. Sundowns' moment of ecstasy turned into agony when they couldn't hold onto an early lead they took through their Brazilian striker Lucas Ribeiro. A victory would have assured Sundowns of their place in the second round after winning their opening match 1-0 against Korean team Ulsan HD on Wednesday while Dortmund had started the competition with a 0-0 draw against Fluminense. Naivety in defence brought Dortmund back into the game after Sundowns had looked in firm control of the match after taking a deserved lead through Riberio in the 11th minute. Ribeiro got possession from his own half and defied the heat to beat two defenders who were challenging him as he went on to beat Gregor Kobel with a low strike to silence the German team. It was through two mistakes made by the two of the most reliable Sundowns players, goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and midfielder Teboho Mokoena that Dortmund found themselves in the lead after 34 minutes. First Williams, ever reliable in building Sundowns attacks from the back, gifted a pass to Felix Nmecha and the German attacker slotted the equaliser with ease just five after Ribeiro had given Sundowns the lead. Mokoena was a bit unlucky to be dispossessed near the centre line resulting in a cross from the right which was headed in by striker Serhou Guirassy to give Niko Kovac's team a chance to lead for the first time the 34th minute. After that goal Sundowns came under pressure from Dortmund as they pressed them in their own half and forced them to make more mistakes before Jobe Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid super star Jude, slotted the third goal on the stroke of half-time after Williams failed to handle a fierce shot taken outside the area. Sundowns had the upper hand in the game, with former Dortmund player Tashreq Matthews giving the SA champions a lot of attacking options with his speed on the left flank. But lack of awareness and sharpness let down Sundowns as they gave away possession in dangerous areas in all the goals that they conceded before the break. Lucas Ribeiro doing what he does best 😏🤌 Watch the FIFA #CWC2025 live in various language options on SuperSport 🗣️🎙️ 📺 Stream #FIFACWC on DStv: #SSFootball | @DAZNFootball — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 21, 2025 Sundowns started brightly in the second half pinning Dortmund in their own half as they looked to reduce the deficit. Mokoena was unlucky to see his free kick deflected over the bar by Dortmund's wall less than ten minutes after the restart. But just as Sundowns thought they were back in control Dortmund got one break that ended with Sundowns right back Khuliso Mudau deflecting Daniel Svensson's cross into his own net to stretch the German team's lead to 4-1. But Sundowns revived their hopes of catching Dortmund when they immediately reduced the score to 4-2 after Iqraam Rayners scored his second goal in the tournament by heading in Mokoena's well taken free kick just outside the area. Sundowns pushed Dortmund all the way and were further rewarded for their efforts when substitute Lebo Mothiba made it 4-3 on the stroke of full time as they forced Dortmund to make mistakes at the back. Sundowns cannot afford to hang their heads in shame after this defeat as they showed the world what they are capable of. Dortmund are in control 🔝 Jobe Bellingham gets his first goal for Dortmund 👏👏 📺 Stream #FIFACWC on DStv: — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 21, 2025 The match against Fluminense will however stretch them at a time when they cannot afford to make the kind of mistakes they made against Dortmund. Of the four African sides at the tournament, only Sundowns won their opening match after beating Ulsan with Rayners' sole goal on Wednesday. Africa's club of the century Al Ahly, now coached by former Orlando Pirates mentor Jose Riveiro, are unlikely to progress to the next round after their 2-0 loss to Brazilian side Palmeiras on Friday. Ahly must beat Portuguese club Porto on Tuesday and hope other results favour them to progress to the last 16. Esperance of Tunisia revived their hopes of making the second round after beating LA FC 1-0 on Friday. After going 2-0 down against Flamengo of Brazil in their opening match, Esperance now have to beat Premier League side Chelsea on Wednesday to boost their slim chances of progressing to the last 16. There's little hope of Morocco's Wydad Athletic of making it to the second round after their 2-0 loss to Manchester City in their opener on Thursday. Wydad who boasts two South African attackers Thembinkosi Lorch and Cassius Mailula must beat Juventus at 6pm today and Al Ain on Thursday to qualify for the last 16.
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
With Euro teams feeling heat in the US, are Dortmund vulnerable against Sundowns?
Mamelodi Sundowns meet a Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup who were not their best selves in the 2024-2025 season, though clashing against a mildly off-pale version of the Bundesliga giants is still a formidable undertaking. Sundowns meet Borussia in their second Group F clash at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday (noon Ohio time, 6pm SA time). Downs got off to the best start in the new 32-team format of the Fifa Club World Cup (CWC) in the US, beating Ulsan HD of South Korea 1-0 in Orlando on Tuesday night. Borussia were a little flat, being the less convincing side of a 0-0 draw against Fluminense in New Jersey, though that was one of the matches played in noon heat to hit prime time for European TV audiences. Still, there is a sense that while there have been big score mismatches between giants and minnows at the 2025 CWC, perhaps the European teams are less enthusiastic about the huge prize-money expanded event. The increase from seven teams is controversial, as it adds more games to an already packed calendar for the world's top players, especially in Europe. Iqraam Rayners takes his scoring form to the FIFA #CWC2025 ⚽🎯 Watch the FIFA #CWC2025 live in various language options on SuperSport 🗣️🎙️ 📺 Stream #FIFACWC on DStv: #SSFootball | @DAZNFootball — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 18, 2025 Some of the results indicate as much — Real Madrid were held to a draw by Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal and Inter Miami, albeit with Lionel Messi in their ranks, beat FC Porto on Thursday night. In contrast, the far less rich South American teams, especially from Brazil, whose four clubs remain unbeaten, seem up for fighting for a share of the staggering $1bn (R18.03bn) prize pot and not so put off by the midsummer US heat. Botafogo provided a third upset at the CWC, stunning European champions Paris Saint-Germain — a team almost unbeatable in the second half of last season — on Thursday. Sundowns would love to provide the fourth upset of the tournament with a win or draw on Saturday. They might just have a sniff at that. 🤌🤌🤌 — Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) June 18, 2025 For one, Downs are boosted by having become the first African team to win in the US. The result might have been against the other minnows of Group F, but Sundowns lost twice against Asian clubs at their only other CWC in Japan in 2016 — 2-0 against Kashima Antlers and 4-1 against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. So the Pretoria side can take their opening result as evidence their years of striving to be competitive in the Caf Champions League for almost a decade since Osaka 2016 has hardened them in international competition. The match is again at noon for Borussia (Downs' opener against Ulsan was played at 7pm Florida time, 1am in SA). Though Sundowns went to the US from the South African winter, they are accustomed to hot conditions as the Premier Soccer League is played through an African midsummer. Coach Miguel Cardoso's Brazilians might try to exploit the conditions. And perhaps there is a touch of vulnerability to this Dortmund. They had a poor 2024-25 Bundesliga campaign, though rallied from when third manager of the season Niko Kovac arrived in February, winning seven of their last eight games to end fourth and clinch a Champions League place. It says much of Dortmund's quality that they reached the 2024-25 Uefa Champions League semifinals. Again there is a hint of brittleness that they were dismantled 4-0 there, though admittedly to a quality team in Hansi Flick's resurgent young Spanish champions Barcelona. It should still be a mismatch on Saturday. Dortmund compete in one of the world's top four leagues in the Bundesliga and regularly challenge for honours in the Uefa Champions League, the world's toughest continental club competition. There are also plenty of world-class performers in Kovac's Borussia line-up. Three top Borussia Dortmund players Serhou Guirassy The towering 29-year-old Guinean striker was a threat against Fluminense, but he couldn't bury his chances, so he'll be determined to make amends against Sundowns. A marksman in peak form, he scored an impressive 21 goals from 30 Bundesliga outings in the 2024-2025 season, joint-second behind Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (26). The season before Guirassy was top scorer with 28 goals. He is a versatile striker admired for his physical strength, aerial ability and strong finishing, particularly in the box. He mainly plays as a traditional No 9, holding up the ball and linking play. Karim Adeyemi Adeyemi was arguably Dortmund's best player against Fluminense, penetrating through the left flank. The 23-year-old German right winger scored seven goals and managed six assists in the Bundesliga campaign. Adeyemi is a speedy and direct attacker known for his dribbling and finishing abilities. He excels in counterattacking situations and can play as a centre-forward and second striker, though he's primarily a winger. Adeyemi's ambidextrous nature and skill taking on defenders makes him a dangerous man, especially in one-on-one situations. Marcel Sabitzer Sabitzer, 31, is one of the most experienced figures in the Dortmund squad, having played more than 400 Bundesliga games. The former Bayern Munich star is admired for his all-action style of play and the ability to contribute in multiple roles across the engine room.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
‘Everyone knows what Dortmund are capable of': Sundowns brace for step up at CWC
Mamelodi Sundowns might have notched their historic first win at a Fifa Club World Cup (CWC), but they know they will have to step up a gear to be competitive against Borussia Dortmund. The Brazilians registered a crucial win — for many reasons — when they got off to the best possible start beating South Korea's Ulsan HD 1-0 at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday night. The result boosts Downs in a number of ways. It was the first by an African team at this year's expanded 32-team CWCin the US, which has been characterised by some mismatched 'rugby' scores in clashes between heavyweights and minnows, though Al-Hilal's draw with Real Madrid lands a confidence-building blow for the minor sides. Sundowns' introduction to the old seven-team CWC in Osaka in 2016 saw something of a baptism of fire, being dismantled 2-0 by host Japanese club Kashima Antlers and 4-1 by Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. That the Brazilians beat an Asian team this time round will spur their confidence that they are a club growing in competitiveness internationally, thanks mainly to their near-decade of strong performances in the Caf Champions League since they won it in 2016. 𝗡𝗢 𝗗𝗡𝗔, 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗦𝗔 🇿🇦 Congratulations to Masandawana on their first historic #FIFACWC win 🙌 Catch the @FIFACWC | June 14 - July 13 | Every game. Free. | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 18, 2025 In Japan Sundowns did not get a crack at one of the bigger clubs, given their early defeats against the Asians. In the US the new format will see them meet German giants Borussia at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Saturday (6pm SA time) and Brazilian outfit Fluminense at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on June 25 (9pm). Given such a tough Group F, Downs really had to beat Ulsan to stand a chance of progressing. They did, which gives them some boost in belief they can compete better at this CWC than their first. Now coach Miguel Cardoso's team will be out to make life as tough as they can against the group heavyweights — and perhaps get another result that sees them through to the quarterfinals. Divine Lunga, Sundowns' classy Zimbabwean left-back, said the Ulsan win, where the Brazilians enjoyed 70% of possession and had the better chances, has boosted the team on their US adventure. Iqraam Rayners takes his scoring form to the FIFA #CWC2025 ⚽🎯 Watch the FIFA #CWC2025 live in various language options on SuperSport 🗣️🎙️ 📺 Stream #FIFACWC on DStv: #SSFootball | @DAZNFootball — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) June 18, 2025 'We are still so happy about the win. I think we gave it our all — everyone fought to get a win,' he said. 'Ulsan were what we expected. We analysed their games. When they made their substitutions, their structure started to change a bit — but I think it was going well on our side.' Sundowns will have it far tougher against crack Bundesliga giants Dortmund. Borussia were flat in their opening 0-0 draw against Fluminense, though that match was played at noon heat in New Jersey — midday matches go to European TV audiences at prime time. Dortmund battled in the Bundesliga in 2024-25 but improved after Niko Kovac arrived in February to replace Mike Tullberg and become their third manager of the season, winning seven of their last eight games to end fourth and clinch a Uefa Champions League place. Yellow Nation 👆 Masandawana brought the energy and showed the world who we are! 🌍🙌 #Sundowns #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #AfricaToTheWorld — Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) June 18, 2025 Downs were travelling to Cincinnati on Thursday. They also meet Dortmund at noon Ohio time — their match against Ulsan was at 7pm in Orlando — and the heat might act as a leveller or provide challenges. It might also be a factor the South African club, more used to such conditions, could try to exploit. 'It's good to travel on Thursday to get used to Cincinnati because we don't know much about the city,' Lunga said. 'Everyone knows what Dortmund are capable of. They are big guns. But even us — yes, we might be underdogs but I think where we come from, people know who Mamelodi Sundowns are. 'Even Dortmund — I read an interview of their coaches talking about us. So I think it's going to be a tough game.' One downside to Sundowns starting with a win was it alerted the bigger teams in Group F to their potential and gave them a good look at the South African club. Downs will be up against it to produce another win at this CWC — but they will surely not waste any effort trying.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Low key sick' – Fans want Club World Cup broadcast feature introduced permanently after watching Inter Miami opener
FOOTBALL fans have been left impressed with a new television feature at the Club World Cup. The opening game of the tournament between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ended in a 0-0 draw. 4 4 4 4 However, while there was a lack of goals, fans were treated to a "ref cam" while watching on Dazn. The first use of the feature was seen in the 25th minute of the clash when a yellow card was awarded to Inter's Tomas Aviles. Footage shared to Dazn's social media page showed the point of view from a camera attached on referee Alireza Faghani's earpiece. The Aussie whistler can be seen running behind the ball when Aviles clatters into midfielder Zizo, who had come off the bench in an early substitution for the Egyptian outfit. Reacting on social media, fans loved the feature. One said: "Ref cam is low key sick. MLS has done this at All-Star Games in the past and it was cool too. I was dubious of it in a competitive match but it's been a big success for me in the opening CWC match." A second said: "This ref cam is actually useful." A third added: "An excellent addition to the game." Another said: "Still very confused why we don't use better tech in today's game. It's 2025." A fifth said: "This Referee Cam should be standard. It would actually help VAR and its officials out a bit more, and it looks pretty cool, too." Dazn unveil brilliant Club World Cup promo video with legendary boxing announcer drafted in to ring bell on tournament Fans across football, including in the Premier League, have called for increased transparency in understanding refereeing decisions. In May 2024 Jared Gillett used a similar piece of kit in a clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Earlier this year, SunSport reported how FA chief Mark Bullingham backed changes to introduce them fully at the top level. Bullingham said: 'In the pro game, bodycams are more about if they will be good for the broadcaster. 'It is something which should be trialled — and potentially allowed. 'Initially, it might be trialled without audio and then with audio." Bodycams are used at grassroots level to protect referees from abuse.
