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Estudiantes beats Flamengo on penalties to reach Libertadores final

The Argentine side advanced despite playing more than half an hour with ten men at the Maracanã, with goalkeeper Fernando Muslera making three crucial saves in the penalty shootout.

23 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Estudiantes beats Flamengo on penalties to reach Libertadores final — Archive photoPhoto: Esporte Clube Flamengo · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Estudiantes de La Plata qualified for the Copa Libertadores final after defeating Flamengo in a penalty shootout at the Maracanã stadium. The second leg of the semifinal finished goalless after 180 minutes of play, forcing the teams to settle the tie from the spot.

The Argentine side faced considerable difficulties during the match. Baltasar Rodríguez was sent off early in the second half after receiving his second yellow card, leaving Estudiantes playing with ten players for virtually the entire second half.

Fernando Muslera was the decisive figure in the penalty shootout, saving three shots from Flamengo's attackers. His performance allowed Estudiantes to win 3-2 from the spot and secure their place in the tournament final.

Before the second leg, there was uncertainty over Marcos Rojo's participation. The defender, who had arrived at Estudiantes from Racing, had not been cleared by Conmebol for the first leg, which ended 0-0 in La Plata. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the decision, allowing Rojo to be available to play at the Maracanã.

Estudiantes will face Palmeiras in the Copa Libertadores final. The Brazilian side also reached the decider after needing a penalty shootout in their semifinal against Fluminense, meaning both semifinals went to sudden death after regulation time.

The match at the Maracanã was watched by more than 820,000 people in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area according to Ibope, as reported by La Nación.

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