Flamengo and Estudiantes Face Off in Copa Libertadores Semifinal Second Leg

Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata met at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro to contest the second leg of their 2026 Copa Libertadores semifinal. The match, which began at 8:30 p.m. ET, followed a scoreless draw in the first leg held in La Plata, leaving the series entirely open for both teams.

The winner of this high-stakes encounter is set to face Palmeiras in the final. Palmeiras secured their own spot in the championship match after overcoming Fluminense in a tense penalty shootout, marking the conclusion of the other semifinal bracket.

During the first half of the match, Estudiantes demonstrated a strong offensive presence. The visiting team created several early opportunities, most notably through Marcos Rojo on set pieces and a powerful strike from Baltasar Rodríguez. That particular effort was narrowly denied by a combination of the goalpost and Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi, keeping the score level.

Alexander Medina, the manager of Estudiantes, was observed providing intense tactical guidance during the first hydration break of the match. Medina utilized the pause to encourage his players, emphasizing that the team had been dominating the flow of play and creating the most dangerous scoring chances up to that point.

In addition to providing motivation, Medina implemented specific defensive adjustments. The manager instructed his squad to maintain a structure featuring five defenders, with a particular focus on marking assignments to prevent Flamengo from exploiting open spaces in the defense. Joaquín Tobio Burgos was tasked with covering the left flank as part of this tactical setup.

Despite the early pressure from the visitors, the remainder of the first half saw limited activity in front of the goals, with only isolated opportunities for Flamengo. The teams entered the halftime break with the score tied at 0-0, reflecting a balanced and competitive contest in the quest for a place in the continental final.