With Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense FC unable to decide the outcome, Ulsan HD, representing 'Korea,' has seized the opportunity to aim for the top of the group.

Ulsan HD will face the South African champions Mamelodi Sundowns in the first match of the group stage of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Group F at 7 a.m. (Korea time) on the 19th at the Inter Miami Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

This match is not just a simple first game; it is essentially a turning point that will determine the advancement to the Round of 16. Thanks to the 0-0 draw between European powerhouse Borussia Dortmund (Germany) and Brazil's traditional club Fluminense, which took place earlier at 1 a.m., Ulsan and Mamelodi have seized a prime opportunity to take the lead with a win.

According to the results of 10,000 simulations conducted by Opta just before the tournament starts, Group F has the second least competitive gap among the groups. While Dortmund's chance of reaching the Round of 16 stands at 92.7%, Mamelodi follows at 47.1%, Fluminense at 39.4%, and Ulsan is at 20.8%. However, the current situation, where the top two candidates in the group recorded draws, has opened new possibilities for Ulsan.

This is Ulsan's third participation in the Club World Cup. However, in the previous two attempts, they lost all four matches. In contrast, they have captured three consecutive championships in the K League, showcasing their peak performance. This season, while they have been slightly sluggish in the league, they secured their place in the tournament through points in the AFC club rankings.

At the center of the team are national goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo and foreign striker Eric Parias. Parias has scored 8 goals in this season's K League, ranking among the top three in terms of scoring across the entire league. He also scored in a closed friendly match against Charlotte FC, a team in Major League Soccer, enhancing his match fitness.

Mamelodi Sundowns, the opponent, is a strong team in the African Champions League and set a record for the most victories in a season with 24 wins in the 2024-2025 South African Premier Division. With a total of 15 championships, they are the club with the most victories in South Africa and also hold the record for eight consecutive titles. They also participated in the Club World Cup in 2016.

Their key player is Brazilian forward Lucas Ribeiro Costa. He recorded the most attacking points in the 2024-2025 season of the South African League with 25 points (16 goals, 9 assists) and ranks first in most attacking metrics, including shots (73), shots on target (33), touches in the box (137), and expected goals (xG, 10.3). He is a 'top-level striker in the league' that Ulsan's defense must be on high alert for.

The two teams will face off in this match, marking the first official encounter between a South African and a Korean club. The contest between these two teams representing Asia and Africa carries symbolic significance that goes beyond mere results. Coach Kim Pan-gon has summoned an elite squad and plans to utilize various options like Darijan Bojanic in the midfield and Eom Won-sang and Gustav Ludvigsson on the flanks to disrupt Mamelodi's defense.

Opta has estimated that Mamelodi has a 49.8% chance of winning this match, while Ulsan's chances stand at 25.7%, and a draw at 24.5%. Apart from that, with Dortmund and Fluminense stalling each other, if Ulsan wins, Group F will undergo a new dynamic.

Can they turn the slim hope of advancing to the Round of 16 into reality? Ulsan dreams of a quiet but clear reversal in the United States.

[OSEN]