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Express Tribune
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Dortmund held by Fluminense at Club World Cup
Fluminense's midfielder Jhon Arias fights for the ball with Borussia Dortmund's Algerian defender Ramy Bensebaini during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Photo: AFP Borussia Dortmund were held to a 0-0 draw by Fluminense at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, as Brazilian teams maintained their unbeaten record so far in the competition. Rio de Janeiro powerhouses Fluminense were the more dangerous team throughout the Group F game played at the Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, just outside New York City. However, Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel turned a Jhon Arias shot around the post in the first half, before Matheus Martinelli drilled an effort narrowly wide. Fluminense -- captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva -- were a threat on the break throughout and should have scored at the end of a counter midway into the second half, but Agustin Canobbio shot straight at Kobel. The Dortmund goalkeeper then produced a fine save low down to deny Everaldo as the match ended in stalemate. "We saw it was a tough game as we expected. Fluminense is a top team, very ball-possession based," Dortmund coach Niko Kovac told broadcaster DAZN. "They played very good. We had some difficulties, especially in the first half. In the second half I would say it was better but overall it was a lucky point for us." Fluminense qualified for the tournament by virtue of their triumph in the Copa Libertadores in 2023. Their performance against a European heavyweight, UEFA Champions League finalists last year, is further evidence that Brazilian teams can hope to make a real impact in FIFA's new-look competition. Their great rivals Flamengo beat Esperance of Tunisia 2-0 on Monday and face Chelsea next. Palmeiras drew 0-0 with Porto in their opening game while Botafogo, the reigning Brazilian and South American champions, defeated Seattle Sounders of MLS 2-1 on Sunday. Dortmund, who gave a debut off the bench to teenage English midfielder Jobe Bellingham following his recent arrival from Sunderland, did not seriously threaten until a late Niklas Suele long-ranger. Kovac, whose team finished fourth in the Bundesliga, insisted the conditions had a significant impact on the game. "The pitch isn't so easy for us. I think the humidity also wasn't so easy for all the players, although the Brazilians are more used to it," he said. "It was hard for us, we were running a lot, but overall we can live with a point." The Germans will hope to get their first win when they play Mamelodi Sundowns next. Sundowns, of South Africa, take on Ulsan HD of South Korea in the day's other Group F match in Orlando.
The Star
a day ago
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-South American clubs show promise but European dominance continues
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group F - Fluminense v Borussia Dortmund - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - June 17, 2025 Borussia Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini in action with Fluminense's Jhon Arias REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) -Fluminense, Palmeiras, and Boca Juniors gave spirited performances in the opening days of the new-look Club World Cup in the United States, but Europe's 13-year dominance over South American clubs remains intact after a series of draws. Fluminense controlled proceedings against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday but were held to a goalless stalemate by the German side, thanks to a stellar display by Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. Similarly, Palmeiras dominated Porto but were also forced to settle for a 0-0 draw. Argentinian giants Boca Juniors came closest to breaking the European run, racing into a two-goal lead against Benfica before the Portuguese club rallied to secure a 2-2 draw. The results underscore the challenge South American teams face in ending Europe's unbeaten streak, which stretches back to Corinthians' victory over Chelsea in the 2012 Club World Cup final. Since then, European clubs have gone 33 matches without defeat against teams from other continents. Historically, South American sides enjoyed success in the Intercontinental Cup, a competition that pitted the winners of the Copa Libertadores against the European Cup champions and was the precursor to the Club World Cup. Memorable triumphs include Penarol's 4-0 aggregate two-leg victory over Real Madrid in 1966, Pele's Santos defeating AC Milan in 1963, Zico's Flamengo beating Liverpool 3-0 in 1981 and Sao Paulo's victories over stellar Barcelona and Milan sides in the early 1990s. HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT The rivalry sometimes led to ill-tempered clashes, such as Racing Club's games against Celtic in 1967 and both legs of Argentina's Estudiantes against Manchester United the following year. Estudiantes' second leg against Milan in 1969 ended with three of their players being arrested in the hostile environment of La Bombonera stadium, leading to many European sides refusing to play the fixture during the 1970s. Tempers calmed as the fixture became a one-off match in 1980 and the competitive level remained fierce and balanced. However, the landscape shifted dramatically following the 1995 Bosman ruling, which allowed European clubs to field unlimited EU players and bolstered their financial and competitive strength. South American clubs, meanwhile, have seen their top talent move to Europe at increasingly younger ages. Before the ruling, South American teams led European sides 20-14 in wins. However, European teams have won 16 of the last 17 finals played, reflecting a widening gap. The revamped Club World Cup, however, with 32 clubs from around the globe including 12 European and six South American, opened the door for fans to watch different levels of teams from each continent pitted against one another. "Brazilian teams, Brazilian players are always very strong technically, it's always difficult to play against them, Manchester City forward Bernardo Silva told Reuters on Tuesday. "Physically, I think the Brazilian teams will be a little better prepared than us, because they are in the middle of their season. The weather and conditions here are more similar to what they are used to. Small details could make the difference in this kind of tournament." Five more intercontinental clashes remain in the group stage, including Thursday's showdown between Copa Libertadores holders Botafogo and Champions League winners Paris St Germain. With Brazilian league leaders Flamengo preparing for Friday's clash against Chelsea with a 2-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis, South American clubs — buoyed by passionate travelling support — are hoping to reignite the intercontinental rivalry and challenge Europe's supremacy once more. (Reporting by Fernando KallasEditing by Christian Radnedge)
CNN
16-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Barcelona reaches first Champions League semifinal in six years, PSG advances in pursuit of first title
Barcelona reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time in six years, despite being outplayed and comfortably beaten 3-1 by Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. A commanding 4-0 victory at home had put Barça in the driving seat against Dortmund in their quarterfinal tie last week, but Serhou Guirassy's hat-trick in the second leg piled pressure onto the Spanish giant. The Guinean international cut into the four-goal deficit from the penalty spot early on before heading in a second from close range at the start of the second half. Ramy Bensebaini's own goal offered the Blaugrana some breathing space, making it 5-2 on aggregate, though Dortmund continued to attack with Guirassy completing his treble with 15 minutes remaining at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund, the runner-up in last year's Champions League, looked to have scored again minutes later, but substitute Julian Brandt was judged to have been offside. In the end, Barça held on for a 5-3 aggregate victory having faced 18 shots during the game, 11 of which were on target. Hansi Flick's side is looking to win a first Champions League title in 10 years – back when Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar famously led the team's attack – and will now face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semifinals. 'They have a great team and made life very difficult for us, but we're through to the next round and that's what counts,' said Flick. 'We didn't play at our best today but that was also down to Dortmund, who did really well. 'What the team has achieved in recent weeks is phenomenal. We're now one step further, but we're still a long way from the end.' Defeat against Dortmund ended Barça's remarkable streak of 24 games without a loss, a run dating back to December 21. In that time, the club has progressed through two Champions League knockout rounds, lifted the Supercopa de España, reached the Copa del Rey final and moved four points clear at the top of La Liga. In Tuesday's other quarterfinal, Paris Saint-Germain also had to survive a scare having gained a healthy advantage in the first leg of its tie against Aston Villa. The French side, still searching for a first Champions League title in the club's history, won 3-1 at the Parc des Princes last week and took control of the contest through early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. However, Aston Villa – once more supported from the stands by Prince William and son George – responded in impressive fashion as Youri Tielemens' deflected strike in the 34th minute reduced the deficit to two goals, offering a glimmer of hope. Two goals in the space of two minutes – first a long-range shot from John McGinn, then a calm finish from Ezri Konsa after a brilliant run and pass from Marcus Rashford – suddenly put Villa on the edge of a miraculous comeback in the second half. Appearing in the quarterfinals of the European Cup for the first time in more than 40 years, the Birmingham-based club started to push for an equalizer, hopeful of taking the tie to extra-time. Tielemens had a header superbly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, while the Italian goalkeeper also denied Marco Asensio with his feet. But despite losing 3-2 on the night, PSG held on for a 5-4 aggregate victory at a raucous Villa Park, progressing to the semifinals for the fourth time in six seasons. 'It was a strange match because we dominated from the first minute and scored two goals, which was great,' said PSG manager Luis Enrique. 'After that, we committed some mistakes and paid for it. 'When you concede two goals in three minutes with that kind of atmosphere in a stadium, it's always difficult. But it's important for us because we can grow from that suffering.' In Wednesday's other quarterfinals, Inter Milan hosts Bayern Munich after a 2-1 victory in Germany last week, while reigning champion Real Madrid is looking to overturn a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabéu. The winner of that tie will face PSG in the final four.
CNN
16-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
Barcelona reaches first Champions League semifinal in six years, PSG advances in pursuit of first title
Barcelona reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time in six years, despite being outplayed and comfortably beaten 3-1 by Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday. A commanding 4-0 victory at home had put Barça in the driving seat against Dortmund in their quarterfinal tie last week, but Serhou Guirassy's hat-trick in the second leg piled pressure onto the Spanish giant. The Guinean international cut into the four-goal deficit from the penalty spot early on before heading in a second from close range at the start of the second half. Ramy Bensebaini's own goal offered the Blaugrana some breathing space, making it 5-2 on aggregate, though Dortmund continued to attack with Guirassy completing his treble with 15 minutes remaining at Signal Iduna Park. Dortmund, the runner-up in last year's Champions League, looked to have scored again minutes later, but substitute Julian Brandt was judged to have been offside. In the end, Barça held on for a 5-3 aggregate victory having faced 18 shots during the game, 11 of which were on target. Hansi Flick's side is looking to win a first Champions League title in 10 years – back when Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar famously led the team's attack – and will now face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semifinals. 'They have a great team and made life very difficult for us, but we're through to the next round and that's what counts,' said Flick. 'We didn't play at our best today but that was also down to Dortmund, who did really well. 'What the team has achieved in recent weeks is phenomenal. We're now one step further, but we're still a long way from the end.' Defeat against Dortmund ended Barça's remarkable streak of 24 games without a loss, a run dating back to December 21. In that time, the club has progressed through two Champions League knockout rounds, lifted the Supercopa de España, reached the Copa del Rey final and moved four points clear at the top of La Liga. In Tuesday's other quarterfinal, Paris Saint-Germain also had to survive a scare having gained a healthy advantage in the first leg of its tie against Aston Villa. The French side, still searching for a first Champions League title in the club's history, won 3-1 at the Parc des Princes last week and took control of the contest through early goals from Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes. However, Aston Villa – once more supported from the stands by Prince William and son George – responded in impressive fashion as Youri Tielemens' deflected strike in the 34th minute reduced the deficit to two goals, offering a glimmer of hope. Two goals in the space of two minutes – first a long-range shot from John McGinn, then a calm finish from Ezri Konsa after a brilliant run and pass from Marcus Rashford – suddenly put Villa on the edge of a miraculous comeback in the second half. Appearing in the quarterfinals of the European Cup for the first time in more than 40 years, the Birmingham-based club started to push for an equalizer, hopeful of taking the tie to extra-time. Tielemens had a header superbly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, while the Italian goalkeeper also denied Marco Asensio with his feet. But despite losing 3-2 on the night, PSG held on for a 5-4 aggregate victory at a raucous Villa Park, progressing to the semifinals for the fourth time in six seasons. 'It was a strange match because we dominated from the first minute and scored two goals, which was great,' said PSG manager Luis Enrique. 'After that, we committed some mistakes and paid for it. 'When you concede two goals in three minutes with that kind of atmosphere in a stadium, it's always difficult. But it's important for us because we can grow from that suffering.' In Wednesday's other quarterfinals, Inter Milan hosts Bayern Munich after a 2-1 victory in Germany last week, while reigning champion Real Madrid is looking to overturn a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal at the Santiago Bernabéu. The winner of that tie will face PSG in the final four.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Champions League: Barcelona lose 3-1, but will face Inter or Bayern Munich
Champions League: Barcelona lose 3-1, but will face Inter or Bayern Munich If Inter go through to the Champions League semi-finals, then they will be up against Barcelona, who qualified this evening despite a 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund. The Nerazzurri have a 2-1 first leg lead against Bayern Munich in their quarter-final, so by avoiding defeat at San Siro on Sunday, it will be enough to book their spot in the last four of the tournament. Advertisement Barcelona will be waiting for the winners of this tie, having already secured their ticket for the semi-finals. Tougher than expected for Barcelona DORTMUND, GERMANY – APRIL 15: Serhou Guirassy of Borussia Dortmund scores his team's first goal to complete his hat-trick during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Barcelona at BVB Stadion Dortmund on April 15, 2025 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by) Having won the first leg 4-0, it was meant to be a mere formality, but that was certainly not the case in Germany. Borussia Dortmund emerged with a 3-1 victory on the night, as Serhou Guirassy bagged a hat-trick on the night. Just as they were pushing hard to reopen the tie, Barcelona got a stroke of luck with the deflection off Ramy Bensebaini beating his own goalkeeper. Barcelona ultimately went through 5-3 on aggregate and will face either Inter or Bayern Munich. Advertisement The first leg of the semi-final will be in Catalunya, so Inter could get the second leg at home. The other semi-final will be between Paris Saint-Germain and either Arsenal or Real Madrid. Guirassy pen 11, 49, 76 (D), Bensebaini og 54 (B) Post navigation Champions League: Donnarumma the PSG hero at Villa Park
