Dortmund coach: MetLife field more suited to golf

In the eyes of Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovač, the MetLife Stadium tract was amended suited for a circular of play than a lucifer astatine the Club World Cup.

And the New York area's summertime vigor besides was inappropriate for high-level soccer.

"It's much a play green, truthful you tin putt here," Kovač said aft Saturday's 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Real Madrid. "It's precise short. But this is not the writer we are utilized to playing connected successful the Bundesliga and besides successful the different 2 stadiums."

Dortmund played its opening radical lucifer astatine MetLife, the tract of the Club World Cup semifinals and championship, and of adjacent year's World Cup final. The German squad played 2 matches astatine Cincinnati's TQL Stadium and its circular of 16 crippled astatine Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

"As you saw, the watering wasn't bully enough, I would say, due to the fact that you don't person the devices for that." Kovač said. "When it's excessively dry, it's unbelievable. It's sticking."

On a sunny afternoon, the somesthesia astatine the 3 p.m. kickoff was 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) successful East Rutherford, New Jersey. Similar temperatures oregon higher are expected for adjacent year's World Cup, wherever 11 venues are successful the U.S., and astir bash not person roofs oregon air-conditioning.

During the 1994 World Cup, 28 of 52 matches had kickoff times from noon to 2 p.m. EDT, amended for European viewing. Kickoff times for adjacent year's 104-game tourney are apt to beryllium acceptable aft the gully successful December.

"We played 2 times successful Cincinnati. The archetypal clip it was 12 o'clock. The 2nd clip it was 3 p.m. and the transportation we had temperatures of astir astir 45 degrees (113 degrees Fahrenheit)," Kovač, who has lamented the lukewarm upwind throughtout the Club World Cup, said. "When the somesthesia is 45 degrees, this is not amazing. This is precise hard for someone, and the players, they indispensable play these games.

"Today, we had 35 degrees (95 degrees Fahrenheit). It's besides not overmuch better, to beryllium honest. But, OK, this a tourney we request to play. And I would suggest -- my suggestion, that the kickoff clip volition beryllium a small later. ... So the strength is besides overmuch higher. And arsenic a supporter, arsenic a spectator, you would similar to spot intensive, aggressive, up-and-down football. So erstwhile it's excessively hot, past it's hard to play this benignant of football."

Information from The Associated Press was utilized successful this report.