Former Mamelodi Sundowns defender Ricardo Nascimento insists his former outfit can pull a surprise against Brazilian powerhouse Fluminense.
The South African giants faces a daunting task in their quest to secure qualification to the knockout stage of the competition. The much-anticipated clash against the Brazilian club promises to be a tough one on Wednesday evening.
Despite exhibiting a brave performance against Dortmund, Sundowns succumbed to a 4-3 defeat undermining their qualification chances heading into the final Group F games.
Speaking to Vaiprogol, the former defender shared his confidence Sundowns prospects at the FIFA Club World Cup.
“Now, with this chance to take part in the Club World Cup, it’s another opportunity to showcase how South African football is developing. I think Sundowns are having a fantastic tournament, putting African football on the global map. People are starting to see that there are talented players in South Africa as well”
“This is a decisive match against Fluminense, a knockout game where only one team will progress. I think it will be a tough contest”
“Fluminense played a great first game, the second one not so much, but they accomplished their objective. Sundowns have nothing to lose, and I actually think that makes things even tougher for Fluminense. Fluminense will need to be fully focused, just like they were in their opening match, because if they lose concentration, Mamelodi could spring a real surprise at this Club World Cup.” Nascimento said.
Nascimento, now 38, played for Sundowns from 2016 to 2022, establishing himself as a loyal and determined defender and earning immense respect and affection from the fans.
