Estudiantes de La Plata and Flamengo drew 0-0 in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores semifinal on Thursday, October 15, leaving the tie to be settled at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã on October 22.
With no goals and no away-goals rule, the second leg starts from level. A winner in Rio advances to the November 28 final at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario, against Palmeiras or Fluminense. Any draw, whether 0-0 or 2-2, goes straight to a penalty shootout under the tournament rules, with no extra time. The same pair met in last year’s quarterfinals, and Flamengo, the reigning Libertadores champion, won that tie on penalties.
Estudiantes, coached by Alexander Medina, pressed at its La Plata stadium, mostly from corners and crosses, but Flamengo goalkeeper Agustín Rossi handled nearly everything; he stopped five of Estudiantes’ eight first-half shots. Alex Sandro cleared a Santiago Núñez shot on the goal line in the 78th minute. Flamengo had more possession and did not test goalkeeper Fernando Muslera.
The main flashpoint came in the 62nd minute, when Flamengo’s Lucas Paquetá elbowed Estudiantes midfielder Ezequiel Piovi in the face. Referee Juan Gabriel Benítez showed a yellow card after a pause for video review.
Estudiantes played without defender Marcos Rojo, whom CONMEBOL, South American soccer’s governing body, did not clear to play. The club said it will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Defenders Leandro González Pírez and Tomás Palacios were suspended and Eric Meza was injured. Estudiantes has advanced through every knockout round of this tournament by getting results away from home.
In the other semifinal, Palmeiras beat Fluminense 2-1 at the Maracanã on October 14, and the second leg is on Wednesday, October 21 in São Paulo. Estudiantes host San Lorenzo in the league on Sunday, October 18, before traveling to Rio for the second leg on Thursday, October 22, at 9:30 p.m. Argentine time.