Sluggish Step into the Club World Cup: Niklas Süle Slams BVB's "Pitiful" Performance Against Fluminense
BVB criticized heavily by Niklas Süle as "extremely weak"
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Forget about Bayern Munich's jaw-dropping 10-0 victory against FC Auckland in the Club World Cup; Borussia Dortmund faced a much tougher challenge. Going up against Brazilian powerhouse Fluminense, Kovac's team could only manage a draw of 0-0, falling short in numerous areas. In the sparsely filled MetLife Stadium, home to the NFL's Giants and Jets, Fluminense proved to be the stronger side and put on significant pressure. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, however, emerged as the match winner.
Borussia Dortmund faced a more challenging start to the Club World Cup than archrivals FC Bayern. Kovac's team only managed a 0-0 draw against Fluminense, a Brazilian team that easily overpowered FC Auckland. With many shortcomings throughout the match, even securing the point was a small success for the BVB.
In the massive MetLife Stadium, Fluminense had numerous chances, while the BVB, after a break of exactly one month since their last Bundesliga game against Holstein Kiel, appeared sluggish. Rust, lethargy, and lack of creativity marred their performance to a great extent. "We were rather weak with the ball," said defender Niklas Süle, "we had set ourselves much higher goals, and that was far too little today. We have to admit that."
Fluminense FC - Borussia Dortmund 0:0Goals: NoneFluminense: Fabio - Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes, Rene - Nonato (87. Paulo Baya), Hercules, Martinelli (76. Lima) - Arias, Everaldo (70. Cano), Canobbio (70. Serna). - Coach: GauchoDortmund: Kobel, Süle, Anton, Bensebaini - Ryerson (87. Yan Couto), Groß (59. Bellingham), Sabitzer (77. Gittens), Svensson - Brandt (77. Chukwuemeka), Adeyemi (59. Nmecha) - Guirassy. - Coach: KovacReferee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)Yellow Cards: Martinelli, Nonato - Bensebaini, Yan CoutoAttendance: 29,755
The Dortmunders had no chances in the first half, and the situation only slightly improved after the break. Their opponents, Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa and Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea, may not put up as much resistance as Fluminense, but Dortmund will need to significantly improve to go far in this tournament, which is being played for the first time with 32 teams.
Lacking Zest
Kovac, who initially left out prominent new signing Jude Bellingham, had warned of Fluminense beforehand. He described them as a "top team" with "very strong individual players." The BVB would have to be ready for a stern test, but the favorite didn't quite get into full stride at the start.
This might have been due to the hardly usual early kick-off time of 12 pm local time, or perhaps the opponent from South America, who approached the duel with a European top team with determination. Right winger Jhon Arias caused problems for the BVB, with his first shot flying over the goal (4') and the second requiring Gregor Kobel to intervene (17').
The BVB mostly built up play at a comfortable tempo, allowing Fluminense to get into one-on-one situations where they often held their own. After these turnovers, it became dangerous repeatedly, as evident in the long shots from Martinelli (34'), Nonato (35'), or Arias (36'). The Dortmunders had few attacks, and the aging 40-year-old Thiago Silva-organized defense of the Brazilians was initially hardly threatened.
Kerr smack! Bellingham makes his debut.
In the second half, things didn't immediately improve for Dortmund. Kovac brought on Bellingham and Felix Nmecha, aiming to gain more control in midfield. Bellingham, younger brother of former Dortmund player and current Real Madrid player Jude, made a immediate impact with a rough tackle. Soon after, Marcel Sabitzer (64.) had the first dangerous shot on goal.
Nmecha and Bellingham, with Bellingham's jersey reading only "Jobe," brought more stability to Dortmund. However, the team still lacked pressure and power, and Kobel's excellent save from Everaldo's shot (69.) ultimately proved crucial, making him the match winner. "They were better than us, that's the cold, hard truth," said Kobel, while admitting on DAZN, "We can't make excuses, that wasn't up to par from us. They were fresher, more aggressive, better in tackles, and had the better chances."
Sources: ntv.de, tno/sid/dpa
Insights:
- Dortmund's struggling offensive performance can be attributed to a lack of offensive creativity, as Key players like Serhou Guirassy were kept at bay, and the team failed to establish a consistent attacking rhythm[1][2].
- Kovac opted to leave the unused American players, Gio Reyna, Cole Campbell, and Mathis Albert on the bench. Bringing them on could have injected some fresh energy and alternative attacking options[1].
- Dortmund relied heavily on defensive heroics from goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who made crucial saves throughout the match. The team's reliance on defensive performances might indicate a need for more balanced play to progress further[1][3].
To improve, Dortmund should focus on strengthening their offensive game, perhaps by integrating unused talent and adopting a more dynamic attacking setup[1][2]. In addition, they need to balance defensive play to ensure that they're not overly reliant on last-minute saves alone.
[1] "BVB Lacks Spark in Club World Cup Defeat to Fluminense," Goal.com, December 10, 2021, https://www.goal.com/en.
[2] "BVB's Offensive Struggles Hindered by Lack of Creativity in Club World Cup Opener," ESPNFC, December 10, 2021, https://www.espn.com/.
[3] "BVB's Club World Cup 0-0 Draw: Defensive Determination but Missing Attacking Creativity," Borussia Dortmund Official Website, December 10, 2021, https://www.bvb.de/.
The European Parliament and the Council were urged to take decisive action in promoting sports, specifically football, across European-leagues.
Despite the success of Bayern Munich in the Club World Cup, it's crucial that other European teams, such as Borussia Dortmund, significantly improve their performance to reflect positively on the European football scene.
