BVB can be satisfied with point after 0-0 in World Cup opener | OneFootball

The 99 minutes in total very clearly belonged to the club from Rio de Janeiro. BVB were lacking tempo and aggressiveness. The around 1,800 BVB fans among the approximately 35,000 spectators at the final venue did see a slight improvement after the restart, but overall they continued to put too little pressure on the ball and the opposition, who were closer to the win.

The scenario: Borussia Dortmund had qualified for the tournament as one of the eight top-ranked participants in the UEFA Champions League over the last four years. Fluminense had reached the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, which is being held in a 32-team format for the first time, as the winners of South America's Copa Libertadores in 2023 and were regarded as the strongest group opponent.

Personnel matters:  Emre Can (adductor injury), Nico Schlotterbeck (torn meniscus) and Salih Özcan (lateral collateral ligament injury) were unavailable. BVB started the game with one change compared to the final Bundesliga matchday in mid-May: Pascal Groß, who was suspended for the 3-0 win over Kiel, replaced Felix Nmecha, who took his place on the bench alongside Jobe Bellingham.

Tactics:   Fluminense played in a compact 4-5-1 formation, marked man-to-man and were uncompromising in the challenges. The Brazilians sat very deep when Dortmund had the ball but, upon turning over possession, they successfully carried it into the Dortmund half via multiple players, established a foothold there and used the width. BVB, who were in their usual 3-4-2-1 system, initially had a higher share of the possession but struggled to find their rhythm throughout.

The match & analysis:BVB were initially too late into the challenges at the unusual kick-off time of 12:00 local time. Bensebaini picked up a booking in only the second minute of the match. The first four shots, which were harmless for the most part, came from the Brazilians, who played with more purpose. It was not until the 21st minute that their goal came under threat, when Adeyemi broke through down the left flank but Guirassy narrowly missed his sharp cross into the box. After the half-hour mark, Brandt was denied by goalkeeper Fabio. The offside flag did go up, but that decision probably would not have withstood a VAR review. At the other end, Martinelli fired inches wide from 18 metres out.

The match grew more interesting by the minute, and Fluminense grew increasingly courageous, clearly setting the tone and dictating the tempo. BVB were at times under pressure and lacked control when their opponents went forward with purpose. The 0-0 scoreline at the break was fortunate from a Dortmund perspective.

Kobel collided with Everaldo, who was unable to stop himself, a long way from his goal at the beginning of the second period. After two treatment breaks, the Swiss shot-stopper was then able to continue. The Brazilians continued to adopt their high pressing approach in phases, with four players drawing the Black & Yellows into one-on-one situations. After approximately one hour, Fluminense missed a great chance on the counter and Kovac reacted, bringing on Nmecha and Bellingham for Groß and Adeyemi. Sabitzer assumed a central position, while Nmecha and Bellingham played more in the half-spaces.

Following Brandt's chance in the first period, Sabitzer's attempt in the 65th minute was the first glimpse of goal for a long time. At the other end, Kobel stopped his team from falling behind. After an opposition corner was insufficiently cleared, he first saved Everaldo's hidden shot from 17 metres out and then kept out Nonato's follow-up (69). Fluminense continued to be the better team. The next double substitution saw Gittens and Chukwuemeka introduced for Sabitzer and Brandt in the final quarter of an hour, but they were not able to change the balance of play either. It was ultimately a case of a point fortuitously won for BVB, even if Süle's stoppage-time shot from distance tested keeper Fabio.

Outlook:The second match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will see Borussia Dortmund take on South African representative Mamelodi Sundowns at 18:00 German time on Saturday.

Teams & goals

FIFA Club World Cup Matchday 1Tuesday 17 June 2025, 12:00 local timeFLUMINENSE 0-0 (0-0) BORUSSIA DORTMUND

Fluminense: Fabio – Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes, René – Hercules – Nonato (Baya, 87), Martinelli (Lima, 76) – Arias, Everaldo (Cano, 70), Canobbio (Serna, 70)Bor. Dortmund: Kobel – Süle, Anton, Bensebaini – Ryerson (Couto, 87), Groß (Nmecha, 59), Sabitzer (Chukwuemeka, 77), Svensson – Brandt (Gittens, 77), Adeyemi (Bellingham, 59) – GuirassySubstitutes: Pitaluga, Eudes, Fuentes, Guga, Ignacio, Manoel, Thiago Santos, Bernal, Ganso, Keno, Lezcano, Paulo  – Meyer, Reyna, Beier, Duranville, Campbell, Mane, Albert, Coulibaly, Azhil, Benkara Goals: noneCorners: 7-2 (3-1 at half-time), chance ratio: 5-2 (2-1)Referee: Tantashev (Uzbekistan), yellow cards: Martinelli, Couto – Bensebaini, NonatoAttendance: around 35,000 in East Rutherford, weather: overcast, 20 degrees