Dortmund recovered after going 1-0 down early in the first half, stretching the deficit to 4-1, but Mamelodi Sundowns did not go down without a fight.
A late goal worried Niko Kovač’s side, as they desperately tried to maintain their lead, after squandering their previous goal deficit, but they managed to hold on.
Dortmund’s win took them to the top spot in Group F, surpassing the South African side, as they look set to qualify for the round of 16. Sundowns, on the other hand, will require a win against Fluminense if they want to progress to the next round.
As it happened
Borussia Dortmund came into today’s game on the back foot following a goalless draw against Fluminense, while their South African opponents sat at the top of Group F after their 1-0 victory against Ulsan HD on Wednesday.
It looked to be going Mamelodi Sundowns’ way as Lucas Ribeiro opened the scoring in the 11th minute, after Tashreeq Matthews’ pass initiated a three-versus-one break against Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Dortmund’s backline looked quite vulnerable.
Ex-Dortmund academy player Matthews proved to be a threat for the German side in the first half, with the South African winger facing his former club for the first time since leaving in January 2020.
It took Dortmund five minutes to equalise, with Felix Nmecha’s goal a product of a loose pass from Sundowns’ goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Serhou Guirassy could have doubled Dortmund’s advantage a couple of minutes later from point-blank range after an inviting cross from Daniel Svensson.
He managed to get his goal after the half-hour mark, scoring a header from a Julian Brandt cross, with Jobe Bellingham lingering behind the Guinean striker.
On the stroke of half time, Bellingham scored for Borussia Dortmund on his inaugural start after the goalkeeper parried the ball out to the Englishman, who was waiting in the middle of the box.
The 19-year-old made his debut for the club in their 0-0 draw against Fluminense after joining the German side last week, before the competition started.
He follows in his brother’s footsteps, after a successful campaign with Sunderland in the Championship, beating Sheffield United 2-1 in the play-off final, and secured the side Premier League status for the first time since 2017.
Before the half-time whistle, Guirassy missed another point-blank opportunity at the far post, which could have completed his brace, but Williams denied the headed effort.
Mamelodi Sundowns looked very threatening at the start of the second half, but Kobel made two important saves. One an offside effort by Iqraam Rayners, which deflected onto the crossbar, and the other from a set piece taken outside the penalty area by Teboho Mokoena.
Despite the pressure from Sundowns, Svensson’s cross forced a Khuliso Mudau own goal, stretching the scoreline to 4-1, as it looked to be game over before the hour mark.
Hope wasn’t lost for the South African side, as Iqraam Rayners’ initial header deflected off the post, but the ball returned to the striker, who headed it again past Kobel.
Another Sundowns goal before full time, courtesty of substitute Lebo Mothiba, raised question marks over whether they could scrape a comeback, but Dortmund managed to hold on until the final whistle.
MSU: Williams, Mudau, Cupido, Kekana, Lunga, Mokoena, Ribeiro, Zwane, Allende, Matthews, Rayners
BVB: Kobel, Süle, Anton, Bensebaini, Couto, Nmecha, Groß, Svensson, Bellingham, Brandt, Guirassy
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