Borussia Dortmund suffer defeat to international side in odd mid-season friendly

Borussia Dortmund were dealt a shock 2-1 defeat by an international side in an odd mid-season friendly.

While a cluster of Dortmund stars are on international duty at the World Cup, the players that didn't make the cut for their countries took part in a mismatched friendly against Vietnam. Although the match was of little relevance for the Bundesliga giants, Vietnam went into the game full of vigour as they prepare to participate in the AFF Cup 2022, slated for January 2023.

Dortmund took an early lead through Donyell Malen in the 13th minute, before Vietnam – ranked 96 in the world by FIFA – usurped their lead when Nguyen Tien Linh's equaliser was followed up by a late strike from Pham Tuan Hai in the final minute of normal time.

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After suffering the shock loss, Dortmund's stars will get to relax until late January when their next Bundesliga game takes place. By then, Edin Terzic will have Dortmund's World Cup absentees back in his squad as the tournament concludes on December 18.

Dortmund are currently without 11 players who have flown out to Qatar to aid their respective nations. Five Dortmund players consisting of Niklas Süle, Nico Schlotterbeck, Julian Brandt, Karim Adeyemi and Youssoufa Moukoko, were called up to Germany's team, although BVB legend Mat Hummels was surprisingly omitted from Hansi Flick's side.

But the quintet could be en route for a swift return to Dortmund as Germany are on the brink of crashing out of the competition where they languish at the bottom of Group E with one game left. Teen prodigy Jude Bellingham was included in England's squad, and his Dortmund peer Gio Reyna is representing the Three Lions' group B opponents the USA, and both players' World Cup journeys have been extended after their respective sides made it out of the group stages.

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Gregor Kobel is off with Switzerland, and Portugal called up Raphael Guerreiro. Portugal are expected to top Group H, and Switzerland are in with a good shot of making it out of Group G where they sit in second behind Brazil.

Belgium duo Thomas Meunier and Thorgan Hazard could also be on their way back to the Signal Iduna Park Stadium soon as Roberto Martinez's side face a shock exit from Group F. Belgium's surprise 2-0 loss to Morocco leaves them needing a win against group toppers Croatia on Thursday to secure their route into the knockout stages, but with reports of bust-ups between Martinez's squad, which he denies, it remains to be seen whether they'll be able to conjure up the right team spirit going into the match.

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