Palmeiras beats Fluminense 2-1 in Libertadores semifinal first leg

Palmeiras advanced toward the CONMEBOL Libertadores final by defeating Fluminense 2-1 in the first leg of the semifinal at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro on 14 October 2026. The result gives Palmeiras a crucial away-goals advantage heading into the return match. Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira's team can secure a place in the final with either a win or a draw in the second leg scheduled for 21 October at their home stadium, Nubank Parque, in São Paulo. Fluminense, managed by Marcão, must win by at least two goals to advance, a task complicated by their historical struggles away at Palmeiras: over the past decade, Fluminense has visited Palmeiras 11 times, winning only once while suffering eight defeats and two draws. The winner will face either Estudiantes or Flamengo—who play their semifinal first leg on 15 October—in the final on 28 November at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. This is only the second competitive meeting between the clubs in Libertadores history; they last faced each other in the 1971 group stage, when both won their away matches. Fluminense has never lost a home knockout match in Libertadores history, boasting 15 wins and five draws in 20 such games, while Palmeiras is appearing in their 13th semifinal, more than any other Brazilian club.