Mamelodi Sundowns have their final chance to save their FIFA Club World Cup campaign when they take on Fluminense in their last group match on Wednesday.
Sundowns came close to stunning Borussia Dortmund on Saturday but fell to a 4-3 defeat which made their work more difficult as they dropped from first place in Group F to third with three points, one behind the Bundesliga giants and Fluminense.
It means Sundowns must win against the Brazilian giants on Wednesday to make it to the knockout round otherwise they will be on the plane back home despite their impressive show at the tournament so far.
Meanwhile, a draw will be enough for Fluminense to make it to the Round of 16 given South Korea’s Ulsan HD are already eliminated.
Form Guide
Sundowns’ loss to Dortmund came after they had managed a 1-0 win over Ulsan in their opening match in what was their first victory since losing 2-1 to Pyramids in the CAF Champions League final second leg.
Before that, they had played out a 1-1 draw with the Egyptian side in the first leg, that coming after a six-match winning run in the league that saw them not concede a goal.
Fluminense, meanwhile, are unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions, including two at the Club World Cup, where they started with a goalless draw against Dortmund before beating Ulsan 4-2.
What Sundowns must be aware of is that the Brazilian side have a tight defence which had kept four clean sheets and conceded three goals in seven matches before letting in two against Ulsan.
Head-to-head
This is the first meeting between Sundowns and Fluminense but they will hope that the presence of Brazilian playmaker Lucas Ribeiro in their squad can offer them insights into how to beat the South Americans.
Team News
Coach Miguel Cardoso made just one change to the team that beat Ulsan with Tashreeq Matthews starting against his ex-side as Arthur Sales dropped to the bench and will likely make minimal alterations again although it remains to be seen if Themba Zwane will keep his starting place for a third game running or Jayden Adams will be preferred to start.
Fluminense, meanwhile, will be led by veteran defender Thiago Silva who continues to defy age but Sundowns must also keep an eye on midfielder Martinelli and Colombian winger Jhon Arias.
What have they said?
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso was left very proud of his team after coming so close to getting something from Dortmund and will be hoping for the same from the game against Fluminense.
“It’s a very competitive team led by a very strong coach, coming from a continent where club football in the last 10 years has made a big jump, where the level of the game and the intensity has increased a lot in the last years,” said Cardoso ahead of the Fluminense match.
“So, I expect a very tough opponent, for sure. But again, I will appeal to us to be ourselves, to be aggressive, to enjoy, to have pleasure, because without those things, you cannot play our football. If we put ourselves on that level, we can compete.”
Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho was not happy over how his side allowed Ulsan to score twice, promising a change in approach against Sundowns.
“I think we started well, but then we dipped, and the opponent took advantage to come back. We had a talk at halftime and managed to turn it around. In the end, we scored a goal to give us some peace of mind. I appreciate the effort from the lads. There is no easy football for anyone. When we lose focus, we suffer,” he stated.
“We did our job today. From tomorrow, we will work on what we need. Our goal is to progress.”
Time and where to watch
The match will kick off at 21:00 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday and will be live on SuperSport TV. Fans can also stream for free on DAZN and SportyTV.
Sundowns vs Fluminense Predicted Lineups
Sundowns predicted XI: Williams; Mudau, Lunga, Kekana, Cupido; Mokoena, Allende, Zwane; Ribeiro, Matthews, Rayners
Fluminense predicted XI: Fabio; Guga, Fuentes, Silva, Freytes; Hercules, Martinelli, Ganso; Arias, Serna, Cano
Score Prediction
Mamelodi Sundowns 1-2 Fluminense
