After a 1-0 win over Ulsan HD which put them top of Group F, Mamelodi Sundowns will secure their last 16 spot at the FIFA Club World Cup if they pull off a shock win over German giants Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Niko Kovač’s side drew 0-0 to Fluminense in their opening game, producing a less than inspired performance. Sundowns’ win over Ulsan was more convincing than the scoreline suggests, with goalscorer Iqraam Rayners seeing two more goals disallowed and Miguel Cardoso‘s men commanding 68% of the possession.
Keanu Cupido, a surprise starter at centre-back, had a superb game. Sundowns fans turned up in numbers and fan favourite Themba Zwane returned to the starting lineup after a nine-month absence, re-claiming the captain’s armband from Ronwen Williams.
There were, however, lapses which resembled those in the two-legged CAF Champions League final against Egypt‘s Pyramids FC. Sundowns could have scored more goals had they been more clinical and it took a scrambling intervention from Cupido to prevent them from conceding a late equaliser.
Against Dortmund, nothing less than Sundowns at their absolute best is likely to be enough. However, if they can pull off a win, it will be one of the finest moments in their history, and one could argue that now more than most times, Dortmund are there for the taking.
They may have had a strong finish to the Bundesliga season, but the draw with Fluminense suggested their problems are not yet fully solved.
For Sundowns’ Tashreeq Matthews, it will be a first opportunity to line up against his former club. However, he came off the bench in their win over Ulsan and is likely to do so again. The winger continues to get himself into superb positions when on the pitch, but has had better runs of form in terms of finishing.
Key details:
Date: Saturday, June 21 at 6:00 PM CAT (June 17, 4:00 PM GMT, June 17, 12:00 PM ET)
Venue: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Referee: Juan Gabriel Benitez PAR
How to watch: The match is available on SuperSport.
Team news:
Borussia Dortmund are without the injured Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can, but new signing Jobe Bellingham made his debut off the bench against Fluminense and is likely to feature again – whether as a starter or off the bench.
With Zwane having finally been elevated back to the starting lineup for Sundowns after his prolonged injury absence, Lebo Mothiba came off the bench for the second game running. Regardless of his status in terms of fitness, he is unlikely to unseat the in-form Rayners in the starting lineup.
Expected lineups:
Mamelodi Sundowns
GK Ronwen Williams
LB Aubrey Modiba | CB Keanu Cupido | CB Grant Kekana | RB Khuliso Mudau
CM Marcelo Allende | CM Teboho Mokoena
AM Themba Zwane | AM Arthur Sales | AM Lucas Ribeiro Costa
ST Iqraam Rayners
Borussia Dortmund
GK Gregor Kobel
LWB Daniel Svensson | CB Ramy Bensebaini | CB Waldemar Anton | CB Niklas Süle | RWB Julian Ryerson
CM Pascal Groß | CM Felix Nmecha
AM Julian Brandt | AM Karim Adeyemi
Stats:
Iqraam Rayners has scored 7 goals in his last 9 games in all competitions for Sundowns.
Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in their last 8 matches in all competitions (6 wins, 2 draws).