Muslera Saves Three Penalties as 10-Man Estudiantes Knock Out Flamengo to Reach Libertadores Final

Estudiantes de La Plata knocked out defending champion Flamengo on penalties at the Maracana on Thursday, Oct. 22, to reach the Copa Libertadores final. The second leg finished 0-0, the same score as the first leg, and Estudiantes won the shootout 3-2.

Goalkeeper Fernando Muslera decided the night. The 40-year-old Uruguay veteran, who has played in five World Cups, saved three Flamengo penalties in the shootout, from Jorginho, Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Henrique. Jose Sosa, Eros Mancuso and Tiago Palacios scored for Estudiantes, and Edwuin Cetre missed his kick. Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Leo Pereira scored for Flamengo.

Ten men for most of the second half

Estudiantes finished the match a man short. Midfielder Baltasar Rodriguez was sent off in the 50th minute after a second yellow card, which left the Argentine side to defend a goalless score against the holders at home for most of the second half. Flamengo pushed for a winner at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, but no goal came in normal time, and the tie went straight to penalties with the aggregate score at 0-0 after 180 minutes across the two legs.

The result is an upset on money as well as on the field. The Associated Press put the value of the Estudiantes squad at just over $61 million, against about $236 million for Flamengo, one of the most expensive rosters in the Americas. Flamengo was chasing a fifth Libertadores title. Instead, the defending champion goes out at home, and Estudiantes goes through.

First final since 2009

Estudiantes will play Palmeiras in the final at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay, on Nov. 28, 2026. The Argentine club is chasing its fifth Copa Libertadores title and its first since 2009. A win would also break a run of seven straight tournament titles for Brazilian clubs. The last non-Brazilian club to lift the trophy was River Plate of Argentina in 2018, the Associated Press reported. Palmeiras last won the tournament in back to back title runs in 2020 and 2021.

Palmeiras through on penalties too

Palmeiras reached the final a day earlier, also on penalties, in an all-Brazilian semifinal against Fluminense. Palmeiras had won the first leg 2-1. In the second leg on Wednesday, Oct. 21, Hercules scored for Fluminense in the 82nd minute at Nubank Parque in Sao Paulo, which made the aggregate score 2-2 and sent that tie to a shootout as well. Goalkeeper Carlos Miguel saved the fourth Fluminense kick, taken by Nonato, and Marlon Freitas scored the fifth Palmeiras penalty to complete a 5-3 shootout win. FIFA said Palmeiras have now won back to back ties on shootouts, after beating LDU in the quarterfinals.

So both places in the Nov. 28 final were settled from the penalty spot. Estudiantes and Palmeiras meet in Montevideo for the South American club title, and the winner goes on to represent South America at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, FIFA said.