Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD: Preview, Predictions and Lineups | OneFootball

Historic Brazilian side Fluminense look to get their first three points of the Club World Cup when they face South Korean outfit Ulsan HD.

Renato Gaúcho's side pushed Borussia Dortmund to the absolute limit in their first game of the competition and were disappointed to come away with just a draw. With Brazilian fans traveling in numbers so far this the tournament, MetLife Stadium's stands could resemble a Fluminense home game at the Maracana.

Ulsan HD fell to Mamelodi Sundowns in their opening game, managing just 36% possession in the game and struggling for creativity in the final third. Although they did show some defensive stoutness, they're still the heavy underdog heading into Saturday's clash.

With both teams urgently needing a win to increase their chances of moving on to the knockout rounds, neither team can be as cautious as they were in their Club World Cup debut.

Here's Sports Illustrated’s guide to this Club World Cup clash.

What Time Does Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD Kick-Off?

Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD Head-to-Head Record

This is the first competitive meeting between Fluminense and Ulsan HD.

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Fluminense Team News

Gaúcho's side were dealt big injury blows prior to the start of the tournament to defensive midfielder Otávio and the skillful Venezuela international Yeferson Soteldo, with only the latter having a small chance of playing in the summer tournament.

However, Fluminense had a strong debut against, on paper, the toughest challenge they'll face in the group stage. The Rio De Janeiro team confirmed it'll be tough to score against them with legendary center back Thiago Silva leading the defensive line next to the up-and-coming Juan Freytes.

John Arias was kept quiet for most of the opening match and will look to have a more significant impact this time around. On the other wing, Uruguay international Agustín Cannobio's pace could be key to breaking open Ulsan's defense.

Fluminense Predicted Lineup vs. Ulsan HD

Fluminense Predicted Lineup vs. Ulsan HD (4-3-3): Fabio; Xavier, Silva, Freytes, Renê; Nonato, Hércules, Martinelli; Arias, Cannobio, Everaldo

Ulsan HD Team News

The South Korean side have hit a rough patch at perhaps the worst possible time, winning just one of their last five matches across all competitions.

Even before the tournament started, the Tigers were predicted to finish bottom of the group and now face an uphill climb to avoid meeting those pre-competition expectations.

Brazilian forward Erick Farias has been a bright spot ever since arriving to the club back in March, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances. He'll carry the bulk of the attacking responsibilities next to striker partner and South Korea international Won-Sang Um.

Swedish fullback Gustav Ludwigson will be the man responsible of marking Arias, by far the most intriguing 1-v-1 matchup on the pitch, but he'll most likely receive help from team captain Young-Gwon Kim, who has 112 senior caps for South Korea.

Ulsan HD Predicted Lineup vs. Fluminense

Ulsan HD Predicted Lineup vs. Fluminense (4-4-2): Jo; Trojak, Seo, Kim, Ludwigson; Lee, Jung, Bojanić, Ko; Um, Farias

Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD Score Prediction

Fluminense were outright better than Borussia Dortmund in the opening match of Group F and will be determined to continue CONMEBOL's strong performance in the tournament with their first victory.

Ulsan HD's recent displays make it hard to envision them having a lot of success offensively against such a stout defensive line. El Flu will have the bulk of possession and scoring opportunities, the question will be how long can the Tigers stand tall in defense.

In the end, although Fluminense aren't the strongest Brazilian side in the competition, they have more than enough quality to overcome a team that proved to be one of the weakest sides. Arias and Cannobio both find the back of the net and Fluminense get one step closer to the round of 16.

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