Fluminense secured a dramatic 4-2 victory over Ulsan HD at MetLife Stadium in the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring twice late in the second half to claim all three points and move top of Group F.
Coming into the clash, Ulsan had seen goals scored in nine of their previous ten matches, and with Fluminense racing out of the blocks, that trend looked set to continue.
Within two minutes, Ulsan goalkeeper Jo Hyeon-woo was called into action with a pair of outstanding saves, first parrying Paulo Henrique Ganso’s stinging volley and then athletically tipping the Brazilian’s powerful follow-up over the bar after the resulting corner.
Fluminense dominated the early stages, with Juan Pablo Freytes coming close to breaking the deadlock when his header whistled narrowly wide before the 15-minute mark.
Their pressure finally paid off in spectacular style in the 27th minute, as Jhon Arias rocketed a free-kick into the top corner, leaving Jo with no chance.
Gabriel Fuentes nearly added a second moments later, but Jo stood firm again with a quick double save.
Just when it seemed Fluminense would enter the break in control, Ulsan mounted an unexpected turnaround. A sweeping counterattack originating deep in their own half ended with Lee Jin-hyun turning Um Won-sang’s mishit attempt across the face of goal into the back of the net.
Then, deep into added time, Lee delivered a pinpoint cross that Um nodded home, flipping the game on its head and putting the K League 1 champions in front.
Ulsan had the chance to extend their lead 11 minutes after the break, but Um squandered the opportunity, sending his effort wide before crashing to the turf in frustration.
Seeking to wrestle back control, Fluminense boss Renato Gaucho made a triple substitution just before the hour, introducing Nonato among others.
The tactical shift paid off swiftly, with Nonato making an immediate impact. Seven minutes after coming on, the midfielder calmly side-footed a precise shot into the far corner, levelling the score and setting up a thrilling finale.
As the match entered the closing stages, Freytes, who had gone close earlier, finally got his goal in the 83rd minute.
Pouncing on Germán Cano’s cross-shot, the defender lashed home to restore Fluminense’s lead and sparked jubilant celebrations.
Ulsan pushed forward in search of another equalizer, but their hopes were dashed in stoppage time when Keno rose to meet Arias’ delivery with a commanding header, sealing a deserved win for the Brazilian side.
The result sees Fluminense climb to the top of Group F, while Ulsan’s second straight defeat confirms their elimination from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
