- Flamengo beat the Belo Horizonte side 2-1 at the Maracanã with goals from De Arrascaeta and Samu Lino, taking the tie 3-2 on aggregate.
- Pedro had a hand in both of his team's goals; in the quarterfinals they will face the winner of the tie between Independiente del Valle and Deportes Tolima.
Flamengo are through to the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarterfinals. At a packed Maracanã, the defending champions beat Cruzeiro 2-1 to close out a 3-2 aggregate after the 1-1 first-leg draw in Belo Horizonte, on a night when they were clearly superior — 24 shots to 14, 9 on target to 3 — even if the scoreline forced them to stay on edge until the very end.
Their first-half dominance found its reward on 35 minutes, with a masterpiece from their two stars. Giorgian De Arrascaeta drove down the left flank, found Pedro, who returned a perfect one-two for the Uruguayan's first-time finish across goal and into the top corner; a stunning strike that meant the lead in both the match and the tie. It summed up a Flamengo side that had attempted 15 shots before the break, against two from a Cruzeiro team unable to find a way out.
What remained was game management. Cruzeiro tried in spells, but never managed to consistently trouble Rossi, and Flamengo, despite the tight scoreline, were not seriously threatened as they protected their advantage until the final whistle. In the end, the tie was decided by moments of pure quality: two top-class plays from the hosts against a single flash from the visitors.
With their place secured, Flamengo remain in the race for another La Gloria Eterna. Awaiting them is the winner of the tie between Independiente del Valle and Deportes Tolima, which the Ecuadorian side lead 1-0 after the first leg and which will be decided next Tuesday in Quito. Cruzeiro, who had raised hopes with the first-leg draw, bow out of the Copa at the stadium where history once again dressed in red and black.
Match facts:
- Flamengo have won and advanced in nine of the last 10 second legs they have played at home in the CONMEBOL Libertadores since 2012, drawing the other against Racing in 2020 before going out on penalties.
- At the moment they opened the scoring, Flamengo were ahead of Cruzeiro in possession (69% to 31%), shots (14 to 1), shots on target (4 to 0) and touches in the opposition box (17 to 0).
- Giorgian de Arrascaeta completed 100 matches in the CONMEBOL Libertadores (69 with Flamengo, 19 with Cruzeiro and 12 with Defensor), scoring his 19th goal in the competition (13 with Flamengo, 4 with Cruzeiro and 2 with Defensor). He is the eighth player to reach the century mark and the fourth outfield player (Enzo Pérez on 110, Sergio Aquino on 107, Lucas Pratto on 104).
- Giorgian de Arrascaeta has scored in the Round of 16 of five CONMEBOL Libertadores editions (2014, 2018, 2021, 2025 and 2026), the most of any player since his debut in 2014. Only Juan Román Riquelme, with six, scored in more Round of 16 editions in the Copa (2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013).
- Pedro provided two assists in a CONMEBOL competition match for the first time. He now has eight assists in his Libertadores career, a tally only Leonardo Fernández has bettered in the competition since 2022 (11). He is also the Copa's top scorer in that span (24 goals).
- All three of Lucas Romero's goals in CONMEBOL competitions have come from outside the box: today against Flamengo, in the 2024 Sudamericana against Alianza, and in 2013 for Vélez against Iquique in the Libertadores.
Lo que quedó fue administración. Cruzeiro lo intentó por momentos, pero nunca logró inquietar de manera constante a Rossi, y Flamengo, pese a lo ajustado del marcador, no pasó grandes apuros para sostener la diferencia hasta el pitazo final. La serie se definió, al cabo, por los detalles de jerarquía: dos jugadas de alta factura del local contra un destello de la visita.
Con la clasificación asegurada, Flamengo sigue en carrera por una nueva Gloria Eterna. Lo espera el ganador de la llave entre Independiente del Valle y Deportes Tolima, que el conjunto ecuatoriano lidera 1-0 tras la ida y que se definirá el próximo martes en Quito. Cruzeiro, que había ilusionado con el empate de la ida, se despide de la Copa en el estadio donde la historia volvió a vestirse de rojo y negro.
El partido en datos:
- Flamengo ganó y se clasificó en nueve de los últimos 10 partidos de vuelta que jugó como local en CONMEBOL Libertadores desde 2012, empatando el restante con Racing en 2020 antes de caer por penales.
- En el momento que abrió el marcador, Flamengo superaba a Cruzeiro en posesión (69% a 31%), remates (14 a 1), disparos al arco (4 a 0) e intervenciones en el área rival (17 a 0).
- Giorgian de Arrascaeta completó 100 partidos en CONMEBOL Libertadores (69 con Flamengo, 19 con Cruzeiro y 12 con Defensor), anotando su gol 19 en la competición (13 con Flamengo, 4 con Cruzeiro y 2 con Defensor). Es el octavo futbolista en completar la marca centenaria y el cuarto jugador de campo (110 de Enzo Pérez, 107 de Sergio Aquino, 104 de Lucas Pratto).
- Giorgian de Arrascaeta anotó en los octavos de final de cinco ediciones de CONMEBOL Libertadores (2014, 2018, 2021, 2025 y 2026), el máximo para un futbolista desde su debut en 2014. Apenas Juan Román Riquelme, con seis, anotó en más ediciones de octavos en la Copa (2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2012 y 2013).
- Pedro dio dos asistencias en un partido de competiciones CONMEBOL por primera vez. Lleva ocho pases gol en su carrera en Libertadores, registro que apenas Leonardo Fernández supera desde 2022 en la competición (11). Además, es el máximo goleador en la Copa en ese lapso (24 goles).
- Los tres goles de Lucas Romero (Cruzeiro) en competiciones CONMEBOL fueron de fuera del área: hoy ante Flamengo, en 2024 en la Sudamericana ante Alianza y en 2013 con Vélez ante Iquique en la Libertadores.
