East Rutherford, N.J. – In a thrilling FIFA Club World Cup 2025 encounter at MetLife Stadium, Fluminense fought back to secure a 4-2 victory over Ulsan Hyundai. The Brazilian side showcased resilience and determination, overcoming a halftime deficit to claim their first win of the tournament. The match, held on Saturday night, June 21, 2025, was a captivating display of attacking football and dramatic shifts in momentum.
Fluminense drew first blood in the 27th minute courtesy of a stunning free-kick from Jhon Arias. The Colombian midfielder curled a magnificent strike from 25 yards, bending the ball past the Ulsan goalkeeper and into the top right corner, sending the Fluminense fans into raptures. However, Ulsan responded strongly, demonstrating their own attacking prowess. Lee Jin-hyun leveled the score in the 37th minute, finishing off a swift counter-attack with a precise left-footed shot. Just before halftime, Um Wonsang gave Ulsan the lead, heading home a cross to put the South Korean side ahead 2-1.
The second half saw Fluminense emerge with renewed vigor. Recognizing the need to increase their attacking threat, Fluminense made a series of substitutions. The changes had an immediate impact, as Nonato equalized in the 66th minute with a well-placed shot inside the right post. The game remained finely balanced until the 83rd minute when Juan Freytes, who plays as defender for Fluminense, etched his name into the headlines. Meeting a cross from Germán Cano with a first-time finish from close range, Freytes fired the ball home to put Fluminense ahead 3-2, marking his first career goal for the club and ultimately proving to be the decisive moment of the match. Keno then sealed the victory in stoppage time, heading in a cross from Arias to make it 4-2.
Ulsan fought valiantly throughout the match, creating several opportunities and testing the Fluminense defense. However, the Brazilian side's superior quality and determination ultimately proved to be the difference. Ulsan's goalkeeper, Jo Hyeon-woo, was kept busy throughout the game, making a number of impressive saves to keep his team in the contest, including a diving stop early in the second half and a leaping one-handed parry moments later.
The victory was crucial for Fluminense's chances of progressing in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, a tournament which has expanded to include 32 teams and is being hosted in the United States. The expanded format sees teams divided into eight groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stage. The tournament continues to draw large crowds, with over 340,000 spectators attending matches since the opening day on June 14. Fluminense will aim to build on this win as they continue their campaign.
For Ulsan, the defeat was a disappointing setback. However, they will look to regroup and bounce back in their remaining matches. The South Korean side demonstrated their capabilities with their first-half performance and will be determined to showcase their quality in future games.
