Dortmund Triumphs 1-0 in Club World Cup vs Ulsan

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    CINCINNATI — Borussia Dortmund secured a 1-0 victory against Ulsan on Wednesday, advancing to the second round of the Club World Cup with a decisive strike from Daniel Svensson in the 36th minute.
    After capitalizing on a defensive error by Ulsan in their own territory, Jobe Bellingham expertly directed the ball to Svensson. Svensson skillfully controlled it before calmly slipping it past goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo from approximately 10 yards out.

    The triumph allowed Dortmund to top Group F with seven points, edging out Fluminese who claimed second place following a scoreless draw with Mamelodi Sundowns. Meanwhile, Ulsan was unable to secure a single win, finishing at the bottom of the group with a record of three losses.
    The match played out on an intense day marked by 93-degree (33 Celsius) temperatures and a heat advisory, drawing a crowd of 8,239 into the 26,000-capacity TQL Stadium. Among the attendees was U.S. Vice President JD Vance.
    Dortmund was dominant throughout, outshooting their opponents 28-3.

    A notable moment in the game was when American midfielder Gio Reyna made his debut appearance in the tournament, entering the pitch for Dortmund in the 78th minute. FIFA regulations gave the Club World Cup priority, resulting in Reyna’s absence from the U.S. team at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

    Discussing his key impact, Svensson, a 23-year-old midfielder on loan from Denmark’s Nordsjælland, celebrated his second goal for Dortmund, following an earlier contribution in a 3-2 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach last April.

    Looking ahead, Dortmund will face Monterrey in Atlanta on July 1. Ulsan found their tournament journey cut short after a 4-2 defeat to Fluminense.

    Reflecting on the match, Ulsan’s goalkeeper Hyeonwoo Jo expressed regret, stating, “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. So most teams, I mean, not just only us, we don’t feel this kind of weather usually. It is a change of environment.” Svensson, satisfied with his performance, added, “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. Football is emotional, so yeah, very nice scoring the goal that turned out to be an important one, also. So, yeah, very nice feeling.”