Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense opened their 2025 FIFA Club World Cup campaign with an uneventful goalless draw in front of a less than-half-full MetLife Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
For the second time in as many days, a Club World Cup game between a European and South American side produced no goals after Palmeiras and Porto played out a goalless draw on Sunday evening in the first game hosted at the stadium.
Fluminense, who qualified for the Club World Cup courtesy of their 2023 Copa Libertadores victory, had by far the better of Tuesday’s drab draw against a disappointing Dortmund, who failed to test veteran goalkeeper Fabio until the 64th minute.
The Brazilian side had by far the best opening of the game when Everaldo raced through on goal just shy of the hour mark, but the striker’s decision-making was poor and the chance went begging.
That chance aside, clear opportunities were few and far between in a dull encounter played out in front of 34,736 fans.
Fluminense’s Jhon Arias, who was named man of the match on Tuesday, said afterward that his side was “superior” to Dortmund but added that they “needed more work at the goalmouth.”
Fluminense coach Renato Gaucho, meanwhile, also claimed his side was the better team but noted that they “needed more calm and peace of mind.”
On the other hand, Dortmund midfielder Pascal Gross said his side needs to improve as the competition goes on.
“It was not a great performance from us today, which always starts with the basics,” Gross said.
Both sides struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in a nip-and-tuck opening period that saw little goalmouth action.
Fluminense, buoyed on by a large and colorful pocket of fans packed into the North end of the ground, was largely restricted to shots from range throughout the first half, going closest when midfielder Martinelli curled a shot just wide of the post from the edge of the area 10 minutes before the interval.
The 2023 Copa Libertadores champions kept their European opponents at arm’s length at the other end, however, with the veteran Thiago Silva imperious in the heart of the Fluminense defense.
Dortmund probably came closest to opening the scoring when the energetic Karim Adeyemi flashed a wicked ball across the face of goal midway through the half. Serhou Guirassy was inches away from applying the finishing touch – and shipped a hefty blow from 44-year-old Fabio for his troubles.
The Fluminense keeper, who made his professional debut in 1997, was making his 1,370th appearance at club level but had very little to do throughout as Dortmund failed to register a shot on target in the opening period.
That continued in the second half as Fluminense continued to look comfortable at the back.
The Brazilian side should have taken the lead on 58 minutes when Everaldo raced through on goal. The striker, however, elected to cut inside and square to Agustin Canobbio, who fired a tame effort straight at Gregor Kobel. Everaldo would have been better off taking the shot on himself.
Dortmund fans had scarcely anything to cheer inside the opening 60 minutes on Tuesday, but they did get a glimpse of new signing Jobe Bellingham when the youngster entered the fray in the 59th minute, following in the footsteps of his older brother Jude.
Five minutes later, Dortmund finally registered a shot on target when Marcel Sabitzer struck a tame effort straight at Fabio.
Fluminense continued in the ascendancy, however, and looked set to take the lead when Martinelli forced Kobel into a fine save with a well-struck effort from 20 yards. Nonato seemed destined to tap home the rebound, but the Swiss keeper produced a remarkable save to deny the Fluminense midfielder from just two yards out. It mattered little, however, as Nonato was well offside in the build-up.
Neither side created any chances of note in the closing half-hour as both Dortmund and Fluminense had to make do with a point.
Next up for Dortmund is a clash with South African outfit Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati on Saturday, with Fluminense set to take on South Korean side Ulsan HD in MetLife.
