Flamengo scores two early goals and beats Estudiantes in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals

On a Libertadores night with a packed Maracanã, Flamengo beat Estudiantes (ARG) 2-1 this Thursday (18) and took the lead in the quarterfinals of the continental competition. With a devastating start to the game, Pedro and Varela scored the red-black goals before the ten-minute mark. Carrilo pulled one back for the Argentines in stoppage time.

With the result, Mengão will have the advantage of a draw in the second leg, in Argentina, to advance to the Libertadores semifinal. 

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The game

The match had barely begun when Mengão opened the scoring less than a minute into the match. Plata burst into the box from the right and passed to Pedro, who turned and struck with his left foot to put the red-and-black team ahead: 1-0. A second goal came very close. Saúl took a shot from outside the box, but the ball went just wide of the crossbar.

With a blistering start, Flamengo extended their lead in the eighth minute, much to the delight of the nation! Ayrton Lucas crossed for Varela, who volleyed in a beautiful shot, leaving Muslera with no chance: 2-0. Even with a two-goal lead early on, Flamengo didn't let up and continued attacking, controlling possession and creating opportunities. 

In the 20th minute, Pedro burst into the box, dribbled past the defense, and shot toward goal. Muslera made a great save, saving the Argentine team from conceding a third. Always present on the attack, Flamengo created chances naturally. In a good play, De La Cruz sent a great through ball to Varela, who crossed into the box. Samuel Lino connected first time, and the ball went just wide of the goalkeeper's right post. 

In another counterattack led by Samuel Lino, Plata burst into the box and attempted a chip over Muslera. The ball went wide, posing a serious threat. In the final minutes, Lino went down in the box, and the referee listened to the VAR call and allowed play to continue. The first half ended with Flamengo in complete control. 

After the break, Rubro-Negro continued to attack, looking for a third. Five minutes in, Ayrton Lucas sent a low cross into the box; the Argentine defense poorly cleared it, and Samuel Lino was left with the ball inside the box. He went one-on-one with Muslera and nearly scored. 

As the game progressed, Flamengo slowed down their attacking pace a bit. As a result, Estudiantes began to gain ground, attacking more frequently. Even so, they didn't pose much of a threat to Rossi's goal. Late in the match, the referee gave Plata a second yellow card and sent off the Flamengo striker.

In stoppage time, Carrilo pulled one back for Estudiantes after a rebound inside the red-black box: 2-1. With that, Mais Querido will play for a draw in the second leg to advance to the next stage of the competition. 

Flamengo

Rossi; Varela, Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas; De La Cruz, Saul (Allan) and Arrascaeta (Luiz Araujo); Plata, Samuel Lino (Danilo) and Pedro (Bruno Henrique). 
Coach: Filipe Luís. 

Students

Muslera; Román Gómez, Santiago Núñez, Facundo Rodríguez and Arzemendia (Fabricio Pérez); Amondarain (Alario), Ascacibar, Piovi (Benedetti), Medina (Palacios) and Facundo Farías (Castro); Carrillo.
Coach: Eduardo Dominguez.  

Week's agenda

Rubro-Negro returns to the field next Sunday (21) for the classic against Vasco, at 17:30 pm, at Maracanã, for the 24th round of the Brasileirão.

Technical sheet

Flamengo 2x1 Estudiantes – Conmebol Libertadores | Quarterfinals | First leg
Location: Maracanã, RJ
Date and time: 18/09/2025 at 21:30 am
Referees: Andres Rojas (COL), Alexander Guzman (COL) and Jhon A. Leon (COL)
Yellow cards: Facundo Farías (EST), Samuel Lino (FLA), Saúl (FLA), Plata (FLA), Castro (EST), Bruno Henrique (FLA), Santiago Núñez (EST)
Red card: Plata (VER)
Goal: Pedro (0'15''1st half), Varela (8'1st half) and Carrillo (45'2nd half).