Sports ( Europe Brief News): Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund settled for a 0-0 draw in their Club World Cup opener, with the Brazilian side missing key chances at MetLife Stadium.
In the first half, Fluminense had a firm hold on the Bundesliga squad, but Gregor Kobel, the goalie for Dortmund, made a number of incredible saves to frustrate the Brazilian team in front of a crowd that was mostly in their favor.
With no shots on goal in the first half, Dortmund found it difficult to establish themselves in the game.
Kobel contributed with an incredible double-save halfway through the second half, and both teams’ desperate late efforts were in vain.
Waving a flag As their team applied early pressure, Fluminense supporters showed up early and applauded noisily. In the 17th minute, winger Jhon Arias’s attempt for the top corner was stopped by Kobel.
In the 34th minute, Fluminense midfielder Martinelli narrowly missed, and two minutes later, Kobel stopped another excellent effort from Arias.
In the 69th minute, Kobel stopped Fluminense attacker Everaldo’s strong attempt from outside the area and jumped to stop midfielder Nonato’s subsequent attempt.
In front of a low crowd of 34,736 in the approximately 82,000-seat NFL stadium, players were treated to overcast skies and mild temperatures as the intense heat in the United States raised concerns for welfare throughout the tournament.
Fluminense will return to MetLife on Saturday to play Ulsan HD, while Dortmund will next play Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati.
What were the key moments that kept the match goalless between Fluminense and Dortmund?
Numerous great stops by Dortmund’s goalkeeper Gregor Kobel were crucial in keeping Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund goalless. Kobel also helped to deny Fluminense numerous clear scoring opportunities.
Jhon Arias, a winger for Fluminense, attempted a shot to the top corner in the seventeenth minute, but Kobel stopped it.
Kobel made important stops against shots from Martinelli and Arias in the 34th and 36th minutes.
Kobel stopped Agustín Canobbio’s left-footed attempt inside the box in the 58th minute.
The most pivotal moment occurred in the 69th minute when Kobel made an incredible double save, first stopping a strong Everaldo effort from outside the box and then jumping to deny Nonato’s close-range follow-up attempt.
