Fluminense sealed a place in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 with a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The result saw the Brazilians finish second in Group F, behind Borussia Dortmund, while the Sundowns exited the tournament — and with them, Africa’s final hope of progression.
With Espérance de Tunis, Wydad Casablanca, and Al Ahly already eliminated, Sundowns’ exit confirms a clean sweep of group-stage exits for African clubs in this year’s expanded competition — a sobering reality for the continent’s top sides.
Coming into the decisive fixture, Fluminense needed just a point to advance, while Mamelodi Sundowns had no option but to win.
The urgency showed early as the South African champions came out with intensity, pinning the Brazilians back.
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Veteran goalkeeper Fábio was tested repeatedly in the opening minutes. He first parried a tame shot from Lucas Ribeiro, then made a brilliant save from Tashreeq Matthews, and followed up by blocking a low drive from Divine Lunga.
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After weathering the early storm, Renato Gaúcho’s side began to find rhythm. Ignácio headed wide from a corner, Jhon Arias sliced a shot across goal, and Nonato curled narrowly past the post in a flurry of half-chances before the break.
Despite controlling possession and territory, Miguel Cardoso’s side lacked composure in the final third. Multiple attacks were halted by the offside flag as their attackers failed to time their runs.
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That inefficiency left Fluminense relatively untroubled late on, and they comfortably saw out the draw they needed to book a Round of 16 tie with the Group E winners.
Sundowns’ spirited effort could not prevent a wider continental disappointment: for the first time in Club World Cup history, no African side reached the knockout rounds.
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All four representatives, Espérance (Tunisia), Wydad (Morocco), Al Ahly (Egypt), and Sundowns (South Africa), crashed out in the group stage.
For Mamelodi, four points from three games were not enough, but their high-octane, expressive football won admiration.
