Mamelodi Sundowns vs Borussia Dortmund predictions: Sundowns to push BVB to the limit
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- Mamelodi Sundowns beat Korean outfit Ulsan 1-0 in their opener
- Dortmund were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw by Brazil's Fluminense
- Recommended bet: Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 - 3-way Handicap
Borussia Dortmund are clear favourites to beat Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati but are under massive pressure to do so following their disappointing goalless draw with Fluminense.
BVB were poor against the Brazilians and will have to improve against the Sundowns, who are top of Group F after beating Ulsan 1-0 and showed enough in that game to suggest they will be no pushovers at TQL Stadium.
Team news
Sundowns' boss Miguel Cardoso will hope not to have to change a winning team and all his players trained fully on Thursday.
Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, on the other hand, may opt for a reshuffle after a dismal effort against Fluminense.
He can do nothing about the absences of Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck, but he can offer starts to the likes of Jobe Bellingham, Jamie Gittens and Felix Nmecha if he wants to freshen up his side.
The stats
Mamelodi Sundowns are 18-time South African champions, having won all of the past eight titles.
Strikers Iqraam Rayners and Lucas Ribeiro have 43 goals between them this season.
Dortmund signed off their domestic season with a six-game winning streak, scoring at least three goals in each of those six fixtures.
The 0-0 draw with Fluminense was the first time they had failed to find the net in seven matches.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund tried not to offer excuses for their poor performance in their opening Club World Cup clash with Fluminense, but they were rusty in the 0-0 draw at the MetLife Stadium.
A month of no football maybe took its toll so the run-out should have helped.
But, having struggled against Flu, football fans have every right to question whether they have it in them to kick on and beat Group F leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
If they are asking the question, then surely it is difficult to muster much in the way of enthusiasm for short odds against the Germans.
Mamelodi looked lively beating Ulsan HD 1-0 and, while the K-League is not the strongest it was still a momentous and deserved achievement for Cardoso's men.
Chilean Marcelo Allende alongside Brazilian aces Lucas Ribeiro and Arthur Sales have added some real clout to the Sundowns' approach.
They offered up the Koreans enough decent chances and would worry if they do the same for the likes of Serhou Guirassy that they will get punished.
However, they looked good enough first time out to be trusted once again, or to avoid a hammering at the very least.
Back them to win 2-0 on the 3-way handicap where a South African win, draw or even one-goal loss will be paid out as a winner.
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