Arsenal
After a 1-0 win over Ulsan HD which put them prime of Group F, Mamelodi Sundowns will safe their final 16 spot on the FIFA Membership World Cup in the event that they pull off a shock win over German giants Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Niko Kovač’s aspect drew 0-0 to Fluminense of their opening sport, producing a lower than impressed efficiency. Sundowns’ win over Ulsan was extra convincing than the scoreline suggests, with goalscorer Iqraam Rayners seeing two extra objectives disallowed and Miguel Cardoso’s males commanding 68% of the possession.
Keanu Cupido, a shock starter at centre-back, had an outstanding sport. Sundowns followers turned up in numbers and fan favorite Themba Zwane returned to the beginning lineup after a nine-month absence, re-claiming the captain’s armband from Ronwen Williams.
There have been, nonetheless, lapses which resembled these within the two-legged CAF Champions League last towards Egypt’s Pyramids FC. Sundowns might have scored extra objectives had they been extra medical and it took a scrambling intervention from Cupido to forestall them from conceding a late equaliser.
Towards Dortmund, nothing lower than Sundowns at their best possible is prone to be sufficient. Nonetheless, if they will pull off a win, will probably be one of many most interesting moments of their historical past, and one might argue that now greater than most occasions, Dortmund are there for the taking.
They might have had a robust end to the Bundesliga season, however the draw with Fluminense recommended their issues usually are not but totally solved.
For Sundowns’ Tashreeq Matthews, will probably be a primary alternative to line up towards his former membership. Nonetheless, he got here off the bench of their win over Ulsan and is probably going to take action once more. The winger continues to get himself into very good positions when on the pitch, however has had higher runs of type by way of ending.
Key particulars:
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
Methods to watch: The match is offered on SuperSport.
Staff information:
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
Borussia Dortmund are with out the injured Nico Schlotterbeck and Emre Can, however new signing Jobe Bellingham made his debut off the bench towards Fluminense and is prone to characteristic once more – whether or not as a starter or off the bench.
With Zwane having lastly been elevated again to the beginning lineup for Sundowns after his extended damage absence, Lebo Mothiba got here off the bench for the second sport working. No matter his standing by way of health, he’s unlikely to unseat the in-form Rayners within the beginning lineup.
Anticipated lineups:
Mamelodi Sundowns
GK Ronwen Williams
LB Aubrey Modiba | CB KEANU CUPIDO | CB Grant Kekana | RB Khuliso Mudau
CM Marce Accuracy | CM Clicks My
AM Themba Zwane | AM Arthur Gross 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 massive | Cm Felix Nmecha
AM Julian Brandt | AM Karim Adeyemi
ST Serhou Guirassy
Stats:
Iqraam Rayners has scored 7 objectives in his final 9 video games in all competitions for Sundowns.
Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten of their final 8 matches in all competitions (6 wins, 2 attracts).
