Mamelodi Sundowns turn attention to their biggest test yet at the FIFA Club World Cup when they face German giants Borussia Dortmund in their second match on Saturday June 21.
Sundowns had the best possible start at the tournament when they beat South Korea’s Ulsan HD 1-0 on Wednesday morning, a win that saw them move to the top of Group F on three points, two more than both Dortmund and Fluminense, who played out a goalless draw on Tuesday.
A win for Sundowns will therefore guarantee them a place in the Round of 16 with a match to spare and this is what coach Miguel Cardoso and his team must be plotting, heading into Saturday’s match.
Dortmund, meanwhile, are under pressure to win as anything other than victory could leave them in danger of early elimination from a group in which they were seen as favourites.
It therefore presents an exciting match for fans but a tricky one for both sides who are looking for three points that will be vital to their ambitions.
Form Guide
This will be the 10th match for Sundowns in just under two months and besides their disappointing CAF Champions League final, they have been in scintillating form.
From the nine games they have played over that period, they have won seven drawn one and lost another and interestingly, not conceded in the matches they won, with only the 1-1 home draw and 2-1 away loss to Pyramids in the Champions League final the bad results.
That gives them confidence of another positive outcome against Dortmund and can be encouraged by how the Black and Yellow struggled against Fluminense on Tuesday.
Dortmund, meanwhile, also come into the match with almost an identical record as they are unbeaten in their last eight games, and have lost one in the last 10.
Before the draw with Fluminense, the German side had won six straight matches which means Sundowns’ work is cut out on Saturday.
Head-to-head
This will be the first meeting between Sundowns and Dortmund and therefore difficult to predict how it will pan out although the last time the PSL champions faced a German team, it ended in defeat, when they lost 2-1 to third-tier side SV Sandhausen in a pre-season friendly last July.
Team News
Sundowns did not suffer any injury setbacks during their opening match but coach Cardoso has a decision to make on Themba Zwane.
The veteran started on Wednesday but did not light it up as was expected and it remains to be seen if the coach will stick with him or go with the younger Jayden Adams, who has the legs that will be needed, in a high intensity game like this one.
Dortmund, meanwhile, are expected to field a strong lineup, just as they did against Fluminense, which means the famed front three of Serhou Guirassy, Karim Adeyemi and Julian Brandt will be unleashed on Sundowns.
What have the coaches said?
Miguel Cardoso – Mamelodi Sundowns
“Upsets can happen when the mental conviction of the team is strong and their emotional connection is so strong that magic can happen. And that's what I will try to create as an ambiance in the team; ambition, conviction, determination and the right emotion to play such a game and produce a good result.”
“We're going to play against a team that is very aggressive. It's a team that scores 40% of their goals from counter pressings. We won’t be used to not having the ball much and obviously that will require us to be resilient and keep organised, even when you are just waiting for the moment to get the ball again.”
Nico Kovac – Borussia Dortmund
“As I said at the beginning of the press conference, I think my team and Fluminense are favourites. But in football, you must first play the games and show that you are favourites.”
“We've studied Sundowns and understand they recently played in the CAF Champions League final. They are a quality side, tactically strong and physically demanding. You need to be fully prepared when facing African teams. They bring intensity and power, and we'll need to be at our best.”
Time and where to watch
The match will kick off at 18:00 (SA Time) on Saturday June 21 at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio and will be live on SuperSport TV. Fans can also stream for free on Sporty TV and DAZN.
Predicted line-ups
Sundowns possible XI: Williams; Mudau, Kekana, Cupido, Lunga; Mokoena, Allende, Adams; Ribeiro, Sales, Rayners
Dortmund possible XI: Kobel; Bansebaini, Anton, Sule; Svensson, Reyson, Sabitzer, Gross; Adeyemi, Brandt, Guirassy
Score prediction
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
