Up to this point, all 6 South American teams have played in the FIFA Club World Cup and the results show that they are still the top opponents of European opponents in all versions of football confrontation. There will be almost no "earth-shattering" surprises at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 according to experts' calculations when witnessing most of the other regional teams' performances in the opening matches.
River Plate shows its strength
In the opening match of Group E, which took place in the early morning of June 18, River Plate had no difficulty defeating Urawa Red Diamonds. The Argentine team proved why South American representatives are always a big rival to Europe at the FIFA Club World Cup, when they demonstrated an effective and superior playing style.
Japanese fans flood Seattle stadium
In the 12th minute, River Plate made their advantage concrete with the opening goal: Acuna had an accurate cross, allowing Facundo Colidio to jump high and head the ball into the Urawa Red net. River Plate's constant pressure made it almost impossible for the Japanese opponent to organize an effective counterattack.
Facundo Colidio opened the scoring for River Plate with a header
In the second half, just three minutes after the break, Sebastian Driussi doubled the gap after a coherent combination in the middle.
Sebastian Driussi scored and got injured, leaving the field shortly after
Urawa Red had a little hope when they reduced the score to 1-2 in the 58th minute thanks to Matsuo's successful penalty. However, that was also a rare bright spot for the Asian representative in a match in which they were completely outclassed.
Matsuo sparks hope for Urawa Red Diamonds
River Plate sealed the match in the 73rd minute when Acuna completed his double assist, this time providing a pass for Maximiliano Meza to finish for a 3-1 win.
Maximiliano Meza sealed a 3-1 win
This result helps River temporarily take the lead in Group E and continues to show the superiority of South American teams in the world arena.
Fluminense makes things difficult for Dortmund
In Group F , Fluminense did not win like their compatriots River Plate, but their performance against Dortmund was enough to make their German opponents "sweat". The 0-0 result did not reflect the game, which was overwhelmingly in favor of the Brazilian representative for most of the match.
Fans witness Thiago Silva's steady performance in Fluminense shirt
Fluminense started the match with great spirit, creating consecutive attacks right from the start. In the first 15 minutes, Jhon Arias had two dangerous shots, forcing goalkeeper Kobel to show his talent. The German team had almost no coherent attack plan and only had one significant chance in the first half when Guirassy almost scored in the 21st minute.
Fierce disputes between players of both teams
In the second half, Fluminense continued to maintain their pressing style, causing Dortmund's defense to falter several times. The clearest chance came in the 58th minute when striker Everaldo sprinted to face the goalkeeper, but his age prevented him from finishing successfully due to the opposition defender's pursuit.
17-year-old rookie Jobe Bellingham makes his debut for Dortmund
Since Dortmund brought in new signing Jobe Bellingham, the game became more balanced. The German team gradually regained control, but Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio was just as good as Kobel on the other side of the field. In the last minute of extra time, Sule had a dangerous long-range shot but Fabio saved it in time, keeping 1 point for the home team.
The strong return of South American football
After the first round of matches, the South American representatives are showing that they are completely capable of competing on equal terms with the teams from Europe - which are highly appreciated due to their financial foundation and strong force. River Plate with their impressive performance soon sent a strong message about their championship ambition, while Fluminense also proved that they are not the underdogs when forcing Dortmund to share points in a disadvantageous match.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup has only just begun, but if what has happened so far is any indication, fans can expect some high-profile matches – where South America is not only a "challenger", but also a serious contender for the title.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/suc-manh-nam-my-ap-dao-tai-fifa-club-world-cup-2025-196250618065811928.htm
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