September 8 – Flamengo will face Atletico Paranaense in the final of the 2022 Copa Libertadores after the Curitiba club eliminated defending champions Palmeiras 3-2 on aggregate.
The Rio de Janeiro club reached their third final of the continent’s flagship club competition in four years on Wednesday after defeating Velez Sarsfield from Argentina 2-1 in the return leg of their tie at a festive Maracana to run out winners 6-1 on aggregate.
The Brazilians had done the hard work in the first leg with three goals from hat-trick hero Pedro, who was once again on target to open the score for Flamengo. Peaking, the striker will be in contention to go to Qatar with Brazil.
Lucas Pratto had given the visitors the lead after 21 minutes. In the second half, Marinho got the winner to ensure a victory for the hosts, 2-1.
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro attended the match alongside right-wing senator and 1994 World Cup winner Romario. Wednesday marked Independence Day in Brazil and Bolsonaro had been campaigning heavily in Rio de Janeiro, where big crowds dressed in yellow, turned out. Bolsonaro made headlines for chanting ‘imbrochável’, Portuguese slang for ‘never limp’ and a reference to a man’s sexual stamina. But the Maracana crowd was not impressed and jeered Bolsonaro.
Flamengo will face Atletico Paranaense in the final of the Copa Libertadores at the end of October in Ecuador. Atletico faced the defending champions Palmeiras and came back in the second leg from two goals down to draw and secure a 3-2 aggregate win. Gustavo Scarpa and Gustavo Gomez had given the hosts a 2-0 advantage but Murilo Cerqueira got send-off, allowing Atletico to claw their way back into the game and eventually progress to the final.
This will be the third all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final in a row, reflecting Brazil’s recent dominance in the competition and the country’s economic power. Boca Juniors were the last non-Brazilian club to win the tournament in 2018 when they defeated crosstown rivals River Plate, who were the last Argentinean club to reach the final a year later.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1713979466labto1713979466ofdlr1713979466owedi1713979466sni@n1713979466osloh1713979466cin.l1713979466uap1713979466