Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense played to a 0-0 draw in the Club World Cup on Tuesday in rainy conditions before a crowd of just less than half capacity at MetLife Stadium that heavily favored the Brazilian club.
Fluminense's best scoring chance came in the 58th minute on a left-footed shot by Agustín Canobbio from the center of the box that was saved by Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Newly signed Jobe Bellingham, the brother of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham, made his debut for Dortmund in the 59th minute as a substitute for Pascal Gross.
American midfielder Gio Reyna was dressed for Dortmund but did not play.
The crowd of 34,763 was tilted toward Fluminense, with fans waving flags and singing for their team.
The German club qualified for the Club World Cup with a top-four finish in the Bundesliga, while Fluminense qualified as the 2023 Copa Libertadores champion.
Fluminense played more aggressively, with a 14-7 advantage in shots. Dortmund held the possession advantage at 54.5%.
Fluminense goalkeeper Fábio preserved the draw in the fourth minute of additional time when he saved a shot by Niklas Süle from outside the box in the bottom right corner.
The draw leaves the teams tied for first in Group F. Dortmund's next match is Saturday against Mamelodi Sundowns at Cincinnati, while Fluminense will play Ulsan on Saturday at MetLife Stadium.
“We had some chances, we were superior. We had all the tools to win. ... We feel frustrated and happy at the same time. We showed our quality, our strength and we should have won today,” said Fluminense midfielder John Arias.
“The pitch is different turf, different grass than in Europe. In my opinion, the pitch was a little bit soft and not dry, but the ball was not traveling as fast as we are used to. This is my impression, my feeling. We don’t search for any excuses,” said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac.
