With a thrilling comeback and goals in injury time, Tricolor from Rio beats South Korea 4-2 and leads Group F of the Club World Cup. Brazil continues with 100% in the tournament.
This Saturday (21), Fluminense won a fundamental victory in the 2025 Club World Cup, beating Ulsan HD from South Korea 4-2 at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (USA). The result keeps the Brazilian club undefeated and with a good chance of advancing to the round of 16, leading Group F based on goal difference.
In addition, the victory keeps Brazil with 100% success in the second round of the competition, after victories by Palmeiras, Botafogo and Flamengo.
🔄 Emotional comeback and tests for the squad
After a goalless draw in the debut against Borussia Dortmund, coach Renato Gaúcho made important changes to the starting lineup: Guga, Gabriel Fuentes, Ganso, Serna and center forward Germán Cano, who had recovered from injury, came on. The team showed superior possession (61%) and volume of play, but ended the first half at a disadvantage.
Fluminense opened the scoring with a great goal from Jhon Arias, with a free kick in the corner. But Ulsan was clinical in the counterattacks: they scored two goals in their only clear shots in the first half, with Lee Jin-Hyun and Um Won-Sang, after passing errors by the tricolor team.
⚽ Second half of overcoming and decisive goals
After the break, Renato brought on Everaldo and then Keno and Nonato, forming a more aggressive offensive line. The change had an effect. In the 20th minute, after a beautiful play on the left, Nonato took advantage of a loose ball from the defense and tied the game. The comeback came in the 37th minute: Cano tried to finish after a corner and passed to Juan Freytes, who made no mistake.
The final blow came in stoppage time: Keno headed in an accurate cross from Arias and secured the 4-2 victory, sealing the party for the Tricolor fans in New Jersey.
🧠 Analysis: defensive balance is still a challenge
Despite the convincing victory, Fluminense once again suffered from defensive errors in quick transitions, something that had already been observed against Borussia. The good news is that the team showed resilience, options on the bench and the ability to react — important factors for a short-range competition.
The individual highlight was Jhon Arias, who scored a decisive goal and provided an assist, in addition to constant movement. Cano, even without scoring, was fundamental in the construction of the comeback play.
📊 Situation in Group F
With the victory, Fluminense reached four points, the same number as Borussia Dortmund, but takes the provisional lead due to goal difference (+2 against +1). Ulsan is eliminated, with two defeats. In the last round:
Fluminense faces Mamelodi Sundowns, next Wednesday (25), at 4 pm, at Hard Rock Stadium (Miami);
A draw is enough for the tricolor to qualify for the round of 16;
To finish as leader, they need to hope for a slip-up by Dortmund or win with a superior goal difference, if the Germans also win.
📌 Match details
🏆 Club World Cup – 2nd Round – Group F
📍 Venue: MetLife Stadium, New Jersey (USA)
📅 Date: June 21, 2025
⏱ Final score: Fluminense 4 x 2 Ulsan HD
⚫ Fluminense: Fábio; Guga (Nonato), Nino, Freytes, Fuentes; Martinelli (Keno), Ganso (Everaldo), Arias; Serna (Everaldo), Cano, Keno
Coach: Renato Gaúcho
🔵 Ulsan HD: Jo Hyeon-Woo; Kim Young-Gwon, Lee Myung-Jae, Lee Jin-Hyun; Bojanic, Um Won-Sang, Hwang Seok-Ho, Kim Min-Hyeok, Lee Dong-Gyeong, Seol Young-Woo, Lee Dong-Jun
Coach: Hong Myung-bo
⚽ Goals:
Arias (FLU), 26' 1H
Lee Jin-Hyun (ULS), 36' 1H
Um Won-Sang (ULS), 47' 1H
Nonato (FLU), 20' 2H
Freytes (FLU), 37' 2H
Keno (FLU), 46' 2H
🔜 Next challenge
Fluminense's mission is clear: avoid defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns to stay alive in the competition. The performance against Ulsan shows improvement, but the defense will still need to be more alert if the club wants to fight among the big favorites for the title.
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