Mamelodi Sundowns v Borussia Dortmund — South Africa’s serial winners against Germany’s swaggering giants, both with points to prove and legacies to forge. And under the lights at TQL Stadium, the world will be watching. Catch the action live on SuperSport at 18:00 CAT.
For Sundowns, this is more than a match — it’s history knocking again. Eight consecutive league titles, a Champions League final appearance, and now a chance to test their rhythm and resolve on the world stage.
Their win over Ulsan HD was gritty and composed, with Iqraam Rayners once again stepping up as the talisman. Rayners has become the face of a team that knows how to endure and deliver. The Brazilians do not just play to win — they play to represent.
“This is fantastic. What it means is that we as club fight for the rights that we acquired to compete against the best in the world. We see it as an opportunity to test ourselves against the best ones. We have proved that we are the best ones in Africa. We beat a strong team from Asia now we have an opportunity to fight against one of the strongest teams from Europe. So let’s go for it with all the energy and the pleasure but also the strictness of a tactical approach," said Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso.
Borussia Dortmund arrive with European scars but burning ambition. A season that veered from disjointed to dangerous saw them finish fourth in the Bundesliga and suffer a bruising UCL exit at the hands of Barcelona. Yet they remain a formidable unit. Serhou Guirassy’s 34 goals this season speak volumes about his clinical edge, and after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Fluminense, Dortmund will be aching to ignite.
On his selection and approach to the game… “I will not say agonising but it’s not easy to take some tough decisions. It can put us in a zone of uncertainty and doubt but that exactly our choice to make tough decisions," said Cardoso.
🚨𝙂 𝘼 𝙈 𝙀 𝘿 𝘼 𝙔🚨
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) June 21, 2025
🆚 Borussia Dortmund
⏰ 12H00 EDT | 18H00 SAST
🏟 TQL Stadium, Cincinatti, Ohio
📺 SS 203
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It’s not just style versus steel — it’s intention versus identity. Can Sundowns impose their tempo against Dortmund’s pressing waves? Will the Yellow Wall of Europe be outmaneuvered by the cunning of the Brazilians from Pretoria?
For both sides, this is a first-ever encounter — a meeting of unfamiliar styles in uncharted territory. But for fans, it’s a gift: a rare chance to witness global football’s shifting geography, where African brilliance meets Bundesliga grit on a shared dreamscape.
Victory here could unlock more than just passage to the round of 16 — it could send a message. Sundowns want to prove they belong with the elite. Dortmund want to reassert theirs. Something has to give.