Group F action at the Club World Cup wraps up on Wednesday as three teams compete for two spots in the round of 16, a selection that includes South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Brazil’s Fluminense, who face off against each other at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium.
Fluminense currently top the group and can advance with just a draw on Wednesday, making them one of the favorites – alongside Borussia Dortmund – to book a spot in the round of 16. Sundowns, meanwhile, have a bigger task ahead of them. They need to win on Wednesday and will need Dortmund to lose to Ulsan HD, an unlikely result since the South Korean side have already been eliminated from the competition.
That does not mean Sundowns should necessarily be underestimated, though. They may have lost to Dortmund in their second group stage match but they gave the German side a run for their money in a 4-3 match and with a spot in the next round on the line – as well as $7.5 million in additional prize money – they may have it in them to keep things competitive for another 90 minutes.
Here’s what you need to know before tuning in.
How to watch Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, odds
- Date: Wednesday, June 25 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium — Miami Gardens, Florida
- Live stream: Watch on DAZN (for free)
- Odds: Mamelodi Sundowns +310; Draw +260; Fluminense 125
Group F scenarios
Fluminense advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win or draw against Mamelodi Sundowns
- Loss to Mamelodi Sundowns AND Borussia Dortmund loss to Ulsan HD by same or larger margin as Fluminense’s loss
Borussia Dortmund advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win or draw against Ulsan HD
- Loss to Ulsan HD AND Fluminense win or draw against Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns advance to the round of 16 with:
- Win against Fluminense AND Borussia Dortmund loss to Ulsan HD
Ulsan HD: Eliminated from the competition
Player to watch
Jhon Arias, Fluminnese: The goals finally started flowing for Fluminnese in their 4-2 win over Ulsan HD on Saturday, thanks in large part to Jhon Arias. The Colombia international notched a goal and an assist that day, taking his side to the top of Group F. He is arguably the most likely to keep them there, too, even if Fluminense are not exactly short on goalscorers, and could even collect his third player of the match award along the way in that case.
Storyline to watch
Can Sundowns pull off the upset?: Fluminense are the heavy favorites not only in this match, but also to advance and for obvious reasons. There is, though, an argument to be made that Sundowns cannot be counted out and Wednesday’s match will offer a chance to see if the attack-minded approach in their 4-3 match against Dortmund was a fluke or something they can repeat when the stakes are this high. They would likely be the only African team in the last 16 in the unlikely scenario that results go their way but between their own offensive might and Fluminense’s defensive errors in their 4-2 win over Ulsan HD, there’s a possibility for some chaos on Wednesday.
Prediction
There may be an inherent entertainment value to a game between two sides who like to attack but there’s a reason everything leans heavily in Fluminense’s favor, so expect the Brazilian side to advance with relative ease and continue their country’s strong streak at the Club World Cup. Pick: Mamelodi Sundowns 1, Fluminense 3
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