The sixth group of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup was launched yesterday, with Brazilian side Fluminense and German club Borussia Dortmund playing to a goalless draw at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. This match marked the first confrontation between the two teams, and despite Fluminense’s dominance throughout the game, they were unable to convert their chances into goals. As a result, both teams earned a single point in a group that also features South Korea’s Ulsan and South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns.
Given the technical prowess and historical context of the teams, Fluminense and Dortmund are seen as the frontrunners for the two qualifying spots that lead to the knockout stage. Fluminense’s coach, Renato Gaucho, expressed his belief that his team deserved more from the match, stating, “I thank the fans for their incredible turnout. The team played exceptionally well and should have won based on the opportunities we created. We must treat every match individually, and we anticipated that today’s game would be challenging. Tomorrow, we will turn our focus to our next opponent.”
Dortmund’s coach, Niko Kovac, acknowledged Fluminense’s high caliber, remarking that his team was less aggressive in the first half than he had expected. He noted, “It was difficult for us, and we had to work harder than anticipated. Ultimately, we were fortunate to secure a point. However, a draw against a Brazilian team is always a positive start, and now we need to win our next two matches.”
Fluminense will return to the same venue on Saturday to face Ulsan, while Dortmund will head to Cincinnati to take on Mamelodi Sundowns on the same day.
During the first half, Fluminense was the more menacing side, featuring Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain standout Thiago Silva in defense. They posed a consistent threat to the Dortmund goal, particularly with long-range shots, and dominated possession with a total of eight attempts on goal — three of which were on target — compared to just three attempts from Dortmund, none of which hit the target. The first half concluded without any goals.
The pattern continued into the second half, with Fluminense looking more dangerous. They nearly took the lead when Hercules sent a shot over the crossbar in the 50th minute. The Uruguayan Agustin Canobbio squandered a golden opportunity shortly thereafter, weakly shooting straight at Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel after an excellent setup by Iveraldo.
In an effort to revitalize his team, Kovac introduced new signings Jobe Bellingham, brother of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, and Felix Nmecha, replacing Pascal Groß and Karim Adeyemi respectively in the 59th minute. This substitution brought some improvement to Dortmund’s performance as Austrian midfielder Marcel Sabitzer came close to scoring with a shot from outside the box, though Fluminense’s goalkeeper Fábio was well-positioned to make the save in the 64th minute.
Fluminense responded with a double opportunity when Iveraldo struck from distance, forcing a brilliant save from Kobel, only for the rebound to fall to Nonato, who was primed to score but again faced a swift reaction from the goalkeeper in the 69th minute.
As the match progressed, clear chances became scarce for both sides until the final moments. In stoppage time, Niklas Süle attempted a long-range shot for Dortmund, but once again Fábio was ready, preventing any late drama in the match. The game ended in a stalemate, with neither team able to break the deadlock, leaving both sides to reflect on their performances as they move forward in the tournament.
