Mamelodi Sundowns: History beckons at Club World Cup against Fluminense
HISTORY BECKONS Mamelodi Sundowns face a crucial match against Fluminense at the Club World Cup in Florida, needing a win to advance past the group stages for the first time in South African history. Picture: Federico Parra/AFP
Now, with the Group F standings intriguingly poised, Sundowns still have a chance of being one of the two teams to advance.
No South African team has ever advanced beyond the group stages of the competition. That in part is due to the fact that Sundowns are the only SA team to have ever played in the premier club competition before.
History will be on the line when Mamelodi Sundowns take on Fluminense at the Club World Cup at the Hard Rock Cafe, in Florida, USA, on Wednesday evening.
Fluminense Leads Group, Sundowns Face Must-Win Against Brazilian Giants
Fluminense currently top the group with four points on a goal difference of two. Borussia Dortmund are second with the same number of points, but with a goal difference of one.
Meanwhile, Sundowns are third with three points. Ulsan are still without a point after two defeats.
With Dortmund taking on Ulsan at the same time as the Sundowns game, it's expected that the German Giants will be too strong for the South Korean outfit.
It therefore means that the only way Sundowns can go through is with a win against the much-fancied Fluminense from Brazil.
One Sundowns player who will be intent on redemption is star goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Williams made perhaps the most basic and glaring mistake of his career on the biggest stage early in the second half to gift Dortmund a goal which sent them 2-1 ahead over the weekend. Though Sundowns competed strongly in the latter stages of the clash, it was a lead Dortmund would never relinquish.
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