Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is expecting a ‘very tough’ battle when they take on Fluminense in their final Group F encounter in the Club World Cup.

The Brazilians suffered their first defeat in the Club World Cup after suffering a 4-3 defeat to Borussia Dortmund at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

Goals from Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy, Jobe Bellingham and an own goal by Khuliso Mudau cancelled out goals from Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Iqraam Rayners and Lebo Mothiba.

The defeat leaves Sundowns in third place on the Group F standings with three points from two games, having won one and conceded one defeat.

Sundowns will now take on Fluminense in their final Group F fixture when the two sides meet at the Hard Rock Stadium on Wednesday.

“It’s a very competitive team led by a very strong coach, coming from a continent where club football in the last 10 years has made a big jump, where the level of the game and the intensity has increased a lot in the last years,” Cardoso said.

“So I expect a very tough opponent, for sure. But again, I will appeal to us to be ourselves, to be aggressive, to enjoy, to have pleasure, because without those things, you cannot play our football.

“If we put ourselves on that level, we can compete.”