FIFA Club World Cup: Fluminense and Dortmund Play Out Goalless Stalemate

Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund played out a goalless draw in their FIFA Club World Cup Group F opener. Get the highlights and match analysis.

Fluminense impressed in a goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund in their FIFA Club World Cup Group F opener. Despite a strong showing, they couldn't capitalize on their chances, settling for a 0-0 scoreline.

The draw ensured that all four Brazilian teams in the competition avoided defeat in their opening matches. Fluminense, fresh from their loss to Manchester City in the 2023 final, appreciated the new format for giving them another shot at redemption.

A strong performance as @FluminenseFC and @BVB share the points. 🤝#FIFACWC

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 17, 2025

Fluminense started strongly, determined to capitalize on Dortmund's loose play, especially on the wings. Jhon Arias created early chances, getting off two shots, with Gregor Kobel forced to bat the second effort behind for a corner.

Dortmund had their first chance when Serhou Guirassy missed Karim Adeyemi's cross from close range. However, Fluminense quickly countered with a low-driven shot that narrowly missed the post.

The remainder of the half was largely dominated by Fluminense, with Dortmund struggling to create clear opportunities aside from a weak effort from Julian Brandt that was easily saved by Fabio.

.@jhonariasa was a threat on the wing today for Fluminense earning the #SuperiorPlayerofTheMatch#FIFACWC | @MichelobULTRA | @playformichelob pic.twitter.com/HL5a210Rcr

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 17, 2025

Matheus Martinelli's curled effort from the edge of the box narrowly missed the post, and Gregor Kobel was again called into action to block Jhon Arias' low shot.

Despite creating promising chances, Fluminense went into halftime goalless against Dortmund, an unexpected scoreline given Dortmund's recent high-scoring form, with nine of their last 10 matches seeing four or more goals.

Fluminense 🆚 Dortmund #FIFACWC

— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) June 17, 2025

Dortmund's sharpness didn't significantly improve after halftime, but fortunately for coach Niko Kovac, Fluminense's attacking threat also waned.

Fluminense's best chance came just before the hour mark when Everaldo made a strong run but opted to pass to Agustín Canobbio, who was ultimately denied by Gregor Kobel's save. Earlier, Hércules had a promising effort sail over the bar.

The match tempo slowed, and Fluminense couldn't create another clear-cut chance, allowing Dortmund to escape with a 0-0 draw. This result extended Dortmund's unbeaten record against Brazilian teams, dating back to their 1997 Intercontinental Cup win over Cruzeiro.

Although Fluminense fans might be disappointed that their team didn't capitalize on a strong performance, the draw provides encouragement for upcoming matches against Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns.