January 23, 2026
Local
Local
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Two foreign nationals have become the first individuals in Malaysia to be charged in court for littering under the newly enforced anti-littering law, according to a report by The Star.
CINCINNATI, June 26 — A first-half strike from Daniel Svensson was enough to hand Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win over Ulsan HD on Wednesday, securing the German side a spot in the last 16 of the Club World Cup.
The narrow victory, following their 4-3 triumph over Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, saw Dortmund top Group F. The match, played in front of just over 8,000 fans at Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium — including US Vice President JD Vance and FIFA President Gianni Infantino — was held under intense heat.
Fluminense also advanced to the knockout stage, finishing second in the group after a goalless draw with Sundowns in Miami.
“We can be satisfied. I think our performance was better than in the first two matches,” said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac, who has repeatedly highlighted the challenge of playing in the extreme summer heat in the US.
“It was 36°C (97°F) and 43°C inside the stadium — just standing in that is exhausting. What the boys are doing is incredible,” he added. “Now we get a day off, and hopefully the players can recover ahead of the next match.”
Kovac made only two changes to his lineup, bringing in Karim Adeyemi and Julian Ryerson, while Jobe Bellingham retained his starting role.
Despite the challenging conditions, Dortmund could have secured a more convincing win. Serhou Guirassy was denied by Ulsan keeper Jo Hyeon-woo in the 27th minute, and Bellingham narrowly missed with a volley moments later.
The breakthrough came in the 36th minute, when Ulsan’s defence gave away possession near their own box. Bellingham capitalised, setting up Svensson to fire a low left-footed shot into the net.
Guirassy had another opportunity just before the break, heading straight at the goalkeeper from close range.
Ulsan did threaten after halftime, with Gregor Kobel making a crucial save from Lee Jin-hyun on the hour, and Yan Couto nearly adding a second for Dortmund late on.
Dortmund will now play their last-16 match in Atlanta next Tuesday, with their opponent to be determined after Group E concludes.
“From here on, we must give everything. There’s prestige and money on the line, and I expect to see the quality rise,” Kovac said.
Ulsan exit the tournament with three losses, while Fluminense’s draw ensures that all four Brazilian clubs in the competition progress to the knockout rounds.
In Miami, where conditions were equally challenging, Fluminense captain Jhon Arias narrowly missed in the first half, and German Cano had a good chance after the break. Mamelodi Sundowns dominated possession but couldn’t find the goal they needed, bowing out despite a spirited showing in front of 14,312 fans.
None of the four African teams in the tournament reached the last 16, but Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso remained positive.
“We’re disappointed, of course. We had a clear goal today, but I’m extremely proud of how the players performed,” he said. “We’re leaving stronger than when we arrived.” — AFP
