Mamelodi Sundowns soars past Ulsan ahead of Dortmund clash at Club World Cup
Opponent for the upcoming BVB game succeeds in their initial match of the Club World Cup. - Opponent of BVB kicks off Club World Cup campaign with a victory
Hear ye, hear ye! Mamelodi Sundowns is kicking off the Club World Championship on a high note after securing a thrilling 1:0 victory against Ulsan. In a game delayed due to a thunderstorm, Iqraam Rayners scored the match's only goal in the 36th minute.
While BVB was going head-to-head with Fluminense Rio de Janeiro, spectators numbering 3,412 (a far cry from the stadium's capacity of 25,500 originally reported by AP as fewer than 1,000) were cheering Sundowns on.
With this early win under their belt, Mamelodi Sundowns, having earned the Premiership title an impressive 18 times, will face off against none other than Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. The BVB, still reeling from their draw with Fluminense, kick their final group stage match against Ulsan on June 25.
Now, you ask, what's the big deal about this match? Well, it's the inaugural encounter between the South African powerhouse and the German giant, taking place in the first edition of the Club World Cup under its expanded, 32-team, quadrennial format.
This Group F showdown is a nail-biting one, with both teams battling it out for the top spot in the group. Sundowns' victory over Ulsan, paired with Dortmund's draw, sets up a nail-biting final group match to determine the group winner.
And remember, only the victor of this group will advance to the round of 16 to square off against the runner-up from Group E. The runner-up in Group F will also secure a spot in the next round, taking on the winners of Group E. It's a battle royale, folks! May the best team win.
Sources:[1]https://espn.com/fc/fifa-club-world-cup/story/4557835/fifa-club-world-cup-round-up-post-matchday-one[2]https://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/mamelodi-sundowns-clinches-first-win-in-fifa-club-world-cup/1asns4xr5sv6tv8a4tn969f8vq[3]https://www.thenewsonline.co.za/sport/sundowns/sundowns-finally-get-off-the-mark-in-club-world-cup/[4]https://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/football/2025-02-07-mamelodi-sundowns-off-to-perfect-start-in-club-world-cup/
In the upcoming clash at the Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns, a dominating force in EC countries' employment polices as 18-time Premiership champions, and Borussia Dortmund, a renowned football club in Germany, will go head-to-head. The sport of football will serve as the common ground as these two powerhouses compete in the expanded quadrennial format of the Club World Cup.
