An interesting fixture is on the cards as Ulsan Hyundai and Mamelodi Sundowns lock horns in the first round of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Exploria Stadium on Tuesday, 17 June 2025.
View our free Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns predictions below.
Contents
Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns predictions: One team to blank
Key stats
- Mamelodi Sundowns kept six clean sheets in their last eight matches across all competitions.
- There were fewer than 11 corners in Ulsan Hyundai’s last five games, and in Mamelodi Sundowns’ last nine matches.
- Mamelodi Sundowns opened the scoring in seven of their last eight games.
Correct score prediction: Ulsan Hyundai 0-1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Ulsan Hyundai have had a slower campaign than usual. After winning three consecutive K-League titles, they now trail Jeonbuk Motors by nine points, despite having played more games.
Ahead of this encounter, Pan-Gon Kim’s men have won only one of their last four matches.
On the other hand, Mamelodi Sundowns are coming off an impressive PSL campaign in which they won 24 of 28 league matches. They have lost only once in their last 10 games; that defeat came in the final of the CAF Champions League.
Interestingly, Masandawana won six of their last eight games without conceding, and taking everything into account, we are leaning towards the Brazilians for the win.
Betting offer – Win up to £40 in bonus bets
With the above in mind, we have a unique betting offer for the duration of the Club World Cup you don't want to miss out on, thanks to our friends at Betano.
All you need to do to take advantage of this offer is to open an account, bet £10, and they'll pay out £30 in bonuses as well as a £10 casino bonus.
Use our link below to claim this unique welcome offer.
18+ New Customers Only. Opt-in, bet £10 on any FIFA Club World Cup match at odds of 1/1+ by 20:00 on 13.07.2025. Get 3x£10 free Bet for set markets + £10 casino bonus for set games, 40x wagering, max redeem £250. Bonuses: expire in 10 days. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Pre-game odds and win probability: Sundowns are slightly favoured
- HOME: 17/10 (2.70) – 37%
- DRAW: 11/5 (3.20) – 31.3%
- AWAY: 13/8 (2.63) – 38.1%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
Ahead of this encounter, Mamelodi Sundowns are the expected winners at 13/8 (2.63). Teams with these odds generally have a 38.1% probability of winning.
Don’t forget to check out more of our best betting tips and predictions after you’ve dissected our Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns predictions.
We have also pointed out that Mamelodi Sundowns opened the scoring in seven of their last eight matches. For this reason, Mamelodi Sundowns to score first has an appealing look at 17/20 (1.85). That one has a 54.1% chance of landing.
Most recent H2Hs: First encounter
Ulsan Hyundai and Mamelodi Sundowns will go head-to-head for the first time on Tuesday night.
Ulsan Hyundai preview: Will the third time be the charm?
Much of Ulsan Hyundai's struggles can be attributed to the loss of Min-Kyu Joo to Daejeon Hana Citizen this season, the team's second-best scorer in the league last season.
While Yago Cariello, Ulsan’s top scorer last season, is still with Kim Pan-Gon's side, the Brazilian has not turned up for the Gangsters of Asia this campaign, contributing zero goals and assists.
With only two forwards in the squad this term, head coach Kim has relied more on his midfielders to deliver, with Erick Farias and Darijan Bojanic contributing massively with goals and assists alongside the team's only scoring forward, Yool Heo, who has four goal contributions.
Marking their third appearance in this competition, it will be interesting to see how the Koreans measure up in a group containing Mamelodi Sundowns, Fluminense and Borussia Dortmund.
Predicted lineup: Jo (GK), Ludwigson, Kim, Myeong-Kwan, Seok-Hyun, Jung, Lee, Bojanic, Ko, Um & Farias.
South Korea Cup 14/05/25
W
Incheon Utd
0
Ulsan Hyundai
3
South Korea K League 1 11/05/25
W
Jeju United
1
Ulsan Hyundai
2
South Korea K League 1 05/05/25
D
Pohang Steelers
1
Ulsan Hyundai
1
South Korea K League 1 02/05/25
W
Gwangju FC
0
Ulsan Hyundai
3
South Korea K League 1 27/04/25
L
Gimcheon Sangmu FC
2
Ulsan Hyundai
0
Mamelodi Sundowns preview: A clean bill of health
Sundowns came close to clinching their second CAF Champions League crown in the just-concluded campaign, but fell short of expectations with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Egyptian side Pyramids in the final.
However, they won South Africa's Premier Soccer League for the eighth straight time, which, for many, has become too routine and nothing special. They have continued to fail on the continent's biggest stage despite the huge investments by business magnate Patrice Motsepe, who doubles as the club's owner and president of the Confederation of African Football.
The Brazilians' target will be to surpass the quarterfinals, which was the team's benchmark in their first appearance in 2016.
With key players like Ronwen Williams, Marcelo Allende, Khuliso Mudau, Teboho Mokoena, Lucas Ribeiro, and Peter Shalulile, coach Miguel Cardoso can be hopeful of getting the club past the group phase.
Predicted lineup: Williams (GK), Modiba, Lebusa, Kekana, Mudau, Mokoena, Allende, Adams, Ribeiro, Rayners & Shalulile.
South Africa Premier 11/05/25
W
Stellenbosch FC
0
Mamelodi Sundowns
3
South Africa Premier 07/05/25
W
Chippa United
0
Mamelodi Sundowns
3
South Africa Premier 03/05/25
W
Cape Town City
0
Mamelodi Sundowns
2
South Africa Premier 30/04/25
W
Richards Bay FC
0
Mamelodi Sundowns
3
CAF Champions League 25/04/25
D
Al Ahly Cairo
1
Mamelodi Sundowns
1
Player to watch: Erick Farias
Erick Farias has been Ulsan Hyundai's top performer this season by a mile. Since joining from Juventude in March, the Brazilian has scored nine goals in 15 appearances across all competitions. He will fancy his chances against Mamelodi Sundowns.