Borussia Dortmund edged Ulsan Hyundai 1-0 on Wednesday afternoon to secure their place in the second round of the Club World Cup, thanks to a first-half goal from Daniel Svensson.
In sweltering 93-degree (33°C) heat at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Dortmund capitalized on a costly Ulsan error in the 36th minute. A misplaced pass near the South Korean side’s goal led to Jobe Bellingham feeding Svensson, who calmly slotted past goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo from close range. It was Svensson’s second goal for the German club since joining on loan from Denmark’s Nordsjælland last winter.
“The only thing we could have done a little bit better is maybe scoring a bit more goals, because we created a lot of chances today,” Svensson said after the match. “Football is emotional, so yeah, very nice scoring the goal that turned out to be an important one, also. So, yeah, very nice feeling.”
The result clinched Dortmund’s top spot in Group F with seven points, two ahead of Brazil’s Fluminense, which finished second after a goalless draw with Mamelodi Sundowns. Ulsan, winless in all three of their matches, finished last in the group and was eliminated from the tournament.
The heat proved to be a factor in the match, with only 8,239 fans attending at the 26,000-capacity venue, though U.S. Vice President JD Vance was among those present. Dortmund dominated play, outshooting Ulsan 28-3, but failed to extend their lead despite numerous chances.
Ulsan’s goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo acknowledged the difficult playing conditions. “I’m sorry for the fans to not meet their expectations. The climate like this is too harsh. It is not for playing soccer, but it is what it is,” he said. “Most teams, I mean, not just only us, we don’t feel this kind of weather usually. It is a change of environment.”
American midfielder Gio Reyna made his first appearance in the tournament, coming on in the 78th minute. FIFA’s prioritization of the Club World Cup kept him from joining the U.S. squad for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Dortmund will face Monterrey in the second round on July 1 in Atlanta. Ulsan, whose campaign ended with a 4-2 loss to Fluminense before Wednesday’s defeat, exits the tournament without a point.
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