Fluminense take on the visitors Ulsan HD in the round 2 match of FIFA Club World Cup. The match will be played on Sunday, June 22nd at MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ).
Fluminense made a strong impression in their opening match, holding Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw. But don’t let the scoreline fool you! Flu didn’t park the bus — they outplayed the Germans in many areas, recording 14 shots to Dortmund’s 7. Renato Gaúcho’s side showed they can go toe-to-toe with top European clubs. However, it's often after high-energy and emotional performances like that when letdowns occur. Colombian star Jhon Arias openly warned that the next game against Ulsan could be a “trap,” especially if the opponent is underestimated. Fluminense are unbeaten in six straight matches across all competitions, but fatigue may start to creep in. There are signs that Renato will make tactical adjustments, possibly starting playmaker Ganso to inject more creativity — which may open up space in their own defensive third.
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Ulsan opened the tournament with a 0-1 defeat to South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns. That leaves them with zero points in the standings, meaning only a win will realistically keep their knockout hopes alive. So there’s no chance they’ll sit deep — they must attack and take risks. And they do have the tools to cause problems. Up front, the Brazilian duo of Erick Farias and Yago Cariello offers pace and technical threat. Renato Gaúcho even singled out Farias, saying he knows the striker well from Brazil and expects him to be a major problem. Farias has already netted 9 goals in 16 appearances since joining Ulsan, and he’s clearly settled in fast. On top of that, the Korean side has scored in 12 of their last 14 away games — and with key defender Seol Myung-kwan doubtful due to injury, this one could turn into a wide-open contest.
On one hand, you have Fluminense, who looked brilliant against Dortmund, but as their own players admit, could lose focus against a “lower-tier” opponent. Their likely shift to a more attacking setup with Ganso could leave them exposed at the back. On the other hand, Ulsan are cornered after their opening loss. They have no choice but to push forward — and they’ve got a red-hot striker that even the rival coach is wary of. Most importantly, the stats speak volumes. Ulsan’s tendency to score on the road makes it very likely they’ll find the net here too.
Prediction for the match: Ulsan HD to score – yes.
