Fluminense held Borussia Dortmund to a goalless draw at the Club World Cup on Tuesday, keeping Brazilian teams’ unbeaten start to the season alive.
The Group F game was played at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, just outside of New York City, and Rio de Janeiro powerhouses Fluminense were the more dangerous team.
In the first half, Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel turned a Jhon Arias shot around the post before Matheus Martinelli narrowly headed the ball home.
The 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea defender Thiago Silva led Fluminense throughout the break, and they should have scored at the end of a counter midway through the second half, but Agustin Canobbio snagged straight at Kobel.
As the game came to an end in a stalemate, the Dortmund goalkeeper saved Everaldo with a superb save.
“We anticipated a difficult game, which we saw. Niko Kovac, the coach of Dortmund, told the broadcaster DAZN, “Fluminense is a top team, very ball-possession-based.”
They did a fantastic job. Particularly in the first half, we encountered some challenges. I would say the second half was better, but overall, we were fortunate.
READ ALSO: Chelsea defeats LAFC in the first-ever club world cup match of a subpar crowd.
Due to their 2023 Copa Libertadores victory, Fluminense qualified for the tournament.
Their performance last year against a European heavyweight, the UEFA Champions League finalists, is yet another indication that Brazilian teams can hope to succeed in FIFA’s new format.
Their closest rivals Flamengo, who defeated Tunisia 2-0 on Monday, will now face Chelsea.
In their opening game, Palmeiras and Porto faced off with 0-0, while Botafogo, the reigning champion of Brazilian and South America, defeated Seattle Sounders 2-1 on Sunday.
After joining Sunderland from Sunderland, Dortmund made his debut off the bench with the young English midfielder Jobe Bellingham. He did not make a significant threat until the late Niklas Suele long-ranger.
Kovac, whose team finished fourth in the Bundesliga, argued that the current circumstances had a significant impact on the game.
“The pitch isn’t so simple for us,” he said. The Brazilians are more used to it, he said, so I don’t think it was as easy for everyone to get wet.
We ran a lot, but we can live with a point overall.
When Mamelodi Sundowns takes the field next, the Germans will hope to win their first game.
Source: Channels TV
Leave a Reply