Mamelodi Sundowns came within touching distance of a famous scalp, trading blows with German giants Borussia Dortmund in a pulsating 4-3 thriller that leaves Group F of the Intercontinental Champions Cup wide open heading into the final round.
The South African champions, riding high from their opening win over Ulsan HD, landed the first blow just 11 minutes in.
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Lucas Ribeiro, in a moment of sheer brilliance, danced through Dortmund’s midfield, sliced between two defenders and calmly slotted past Gregor Kobel to give Masandawana a dream start.
But Dortmund hit back almost instantly.
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Five minutes later, Sundowns keeper Ronwen Williams, hero in Orlando just days ago, turned villain with a misplaced pass that fell straight to Felix Nmecha.
The German midfielder needed no second invitation, slotting into an open net to level matters.
That equaliser snapped Dortmund into rhythm and exposed Sundowns’ fragility when attempting to play out from the back.
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Pressure down the South African side’s right flank intensified and reaped rewards in the 34th minute. Julian Brandt worked space near the byline and whipped in a pinpoint cross, which Serhou Guirassy powered home with a bullet header to make it 2-1.
Things went from bad to worse in first-half stoppage time.
Williams’ punched clearance found 18-year-old debutant Jobe Bellingham, younger brother of England star Jude, on the edge of the area.
Without hesitation, the youngster lashed a low volley through a crowded box and into the net, sending Dortmund into halftime with a commanding 3-1 lead.
Sundowns fight back with flair
Far from folding, Sundowns came out swinging in the second half. Midfielder Tebogo Mokoena almost halved the deficit with a wicked free-kick that rippled the side-netting. But before they could find their feet, they were undone again.
Just before the hour mark, Daniel Svensson curled in a deep cross that defender Khuliso Mudau, under pressure and facing his own goal, mistakenly diverted past Williams to make it 4-1.
Yet, Masandawana refused to go quietly.
Just three minutes later, Mokoena struck the woodwork from another set-piece, and Iqraam Rayners was on hand to stab home the rebound; his second goal of the tournament, to give the South Africans a lifeline.
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Then, in the 90th minute, substitute Lebo Mothiba turned up the volume on the comeback. The former Strasbourg forward finished off a swift move by guiding Jayden Adams’ low cross past Kobel, setting up a frenetic finale.
Dortmund, under siege for much of stoppage time, survived a last-ditch scramble in their six-yard box to claim their first win of the tournament—and a massive sigh of relief.
Group F wide open ahead of final showdown
Earlier in the day, Fluminense came back to win against Ulsan HD, leaving all the top three teams in Group F still in contention for a quarter-final spot.
For Sundowns, a win over the Brazilian side in their final group match will guarantee progression. Anything less, and they risk relying on results elsewhere.
Dortmund, meanwhile, will look to build on this nervy win when they face winless Ulsan.
For African fans, the dream lives on. Mamelodi Sundowns have proven they belong at this level, but if they’re to make history, they must tighten their defence and deliver a complete performance in the group finale.
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