Dortmund Edge Ulsan HD to Top Group F But It Wasn’t Pretty
Borussia Dortmund are through to the last 16 of the Club World Cup, but let’s just say this win over Ulsan HD won’t be making their season highlight reel.
Niko Kovac’s side knew a point would be enough to seal the deal, and they got all three in Cincinnati, thanks to a tidy finish from Daniel Svensson, assisted by a certain Jobe Bellingham. Yes, that Bellingham. The younger brother is already making his mark.
It finished 1-0 at the Bank of America Stadium. Thousands of empty seats, 28 shots from Dortmund, and one solitary goal to show for it. Efficient? No. Effective? Just about.
Jobe Bellingham’s First Dortmund Assist And Nearly a Goal Too
This was Jobe’s night to announce himself properly. His clever pass set up Svensson for the only goal of the match, and he nearly added one of his own with a well-struck volley that just grazed the top of the net.
The 19-year-old was everywhere, shooting, sliding into challenges, even picking up his first yellow card for the club. It was a gritty, all-action display that deserved more than just an assist.
Seven shots. One yellow. Zero goals. But the kid’s cooking.
Wasted Chances and a Masterclass from Jo Hyeon-woo
Borussia’s problem? Finishing. They dominated from minute one and had an eye-watering 28 shots to Ulsan’s three, but the scoreboard stayed stuck on one thanks to a goalkeeping clinic from Jo Hyeon-woo.
The Ulsan stopper racked up eight saves, seven of those in the first half alone. At one point, he was basically deflecting everything with Jedi reflexes. Yan Couto even thought he’d sealed the game late on, but Jo pulled off a ridiculous fingertip save to keep it interesting.
Despite their attacking barrage, BVB’s expected goals (xG) was a whopping 3.35. One goal from that? Brutal.
Guirassy Misfires, Adeyemi Lively, Dortmund Wasteful
Striker Serhou Guirassy had seven attempts, four on target and not one found the net. He huffed, puffed, but never really threatened to blow the goal down.
Karim Adeyemi brought his usual zip and trickery, but BVB were lacking that killer edge. If they’re serious about going deep in this tournament, they’ll need to sort their shooting boots out, fast.
Group F Final Standings: Dortmund and Fluminense March On
While BVB got the job done, Brazil’s Fluminense played out a goalless draw with Mamelodi Sundowns to secure second place in Group F. The South African side bow out in third, while Dortmund move on to face the runners-up from Group E in Atlanta on 2 July.
Dortmund won. They topped the group. But make no mistake, this was a win that raised more questions than it answered. The performance was wasteful, the stadium half-empty, and the finishing frustrating.
But there was one big positive: Jobe Bellingham is not here to just make up the numbers. The teen was a livewire, and if this was just a glimpse, Borussia fans should be very excited about what’s coming next.
Next stop: Atlanta. And hopefully, a few more goals.
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