Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund
Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund played out an entertaining 0-0 draw in the opening Group F game in the Club World Cup.
Fluminense looked the better side and should have taken the lead on the hour mark when Everaldo Stum was clean through on goal. However, Waldemar Anton recovered just in time.
15 minutes before the end Gregor Kobel was produced a double save to keep the game level and ensured the points were shared at the MetLife Stadium.
Photo by Elsa - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Fluminense set the tone early, dominating possession in the opening stages with sharp, purposeful build-up play that immediately put Borussia Dortmund on the back foot.
Ramy Bensebaini struggled to contain Jhon Arias on the flank, and his task became even more difficult after picking up a yellow card just two minutes in. From that moment on, the defender was forced to walk along a tightrope for the remaining 88 minutes.
Arias took full advantage of Bensebaini's early booking, making perfectly timed runs to get in behind Dortmund's defence. The winger first saw a shot from a tight angle sail over the bar, before unleashing a powerful effort that forced a strong save from Kobel.
It took some time for a stunned Dortmund to grow into the game, but both sides were soon passing with purpose, and the match gradually developed a competitive tempo.
Dortmund looked more threatening when going direct, with Karim Adeyemi nearly cutting inside to get a shot away before being denied by a last-ditch challenge.
Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
However, Fluminense still looked the more dangerous of the two sides, and the Brazilians worked the ball up the pitch nicely before Matheus Martinelli finished the move with a curled strike from distance that went agonisingly close.
Arias then fancied his chances from range, but his low, drilled strike was comfortably saved by Kobel.
Fluminense's early intensity and attacking threat made them the standout performers of a lively first half but the scoreline remained level at the interval.
Unlike the start of the game, the beginning of the second half saw both sides focus on controlling possession rather than playing at a fast tempo.
The South American side had struggled to find the target in the opening 45 minutes, and it seemed their struggles were going to continue.
After a good run from Arias, the winger played a well-weighted pass into the path of Hércules, who fired his shot over the bar.
Arias' shot in the first half goes over the bar. Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images
On the hour mark, it looked inevitable that Everaldo would break the deadlock after being sent through clear on goal, but before the forward could get his shot away, Anton recovered just in time. Everaldo was then forced to pass the ball to Agustín Canobbio, whose tame shot was comfortably saved.
Despite the number of chances Fluminense were creating, the ball just wasn't going in for them. Kobel was forced to produce an incredible double save—first denying Everaldo's drilled strike through a crowded penalty box, then preventing Nonato from tapping in the follow-up from inside the six-yard box.
After finding himself in space out on the left-hand side, substitute Kevin Serna tried to pick out a teammate inside the box but his pass was well read and intercepted by Niklas Süle.
Both sides frantically tried to find a winner, with chances coming at both ends of the pitch but in the end, the spoils were shared in the opening game of Group F at the Club World Cup.
Ulsan HD FC and Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. will face off later today in the other opening group F game.