Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 to win Copa Libertadores / Photo: ERNESTO BENAVIDES - AFP
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Flamengo beat Palmeiras 1-0 to win Copa Libertadores
Flamengo defeated Palmeiras 1-0 to win the Copa Libertadores on Saturday, becoming the most successful Brazilian team in the history of South America’s top club competition by lifting the title for a fourth time.
A second half headed goal from Flamengo center-back Danilo settled a scrappy encounter at the Estadio Monumental in Lima – the fifth Libertadores final in the past six seasons to feature two clubs from Brazil.
Flamengo's win avenged their 2-1 defeat to Palmeiras in the 2021 Libertadores final and leaves the famous Rio de Janeiro club firmly on course for a hat-trick of trophies in 2025.
Flamengo began the year with victory in the Brazilian Super Cup and need only two points from their remaining two league fixtures to clinch Brazil's domestic championship.
Flamengo's third win in the tournament since 2019 and fourth overall put them level with Argentina's Estudiantes, three behind another Argentinian club, Independiente, with seven titles.
Palmeiras meanwhile were left ruing a golden chance to equalize in the 89th minute, when Vitor Roque blasted over the bar from point blank range.
That was to be arguably the best Palmeiras chance of a mostly fractious final littered with 33 fouls and seven yellow cards shared between the two teams.
A scrappy first half saw Flamengo enjoy the better chances, with Bruno Henrique the first to trigger alarm in the Palmeiras ranks with a 15th-minute strike that flew high and wide.
Flamengo continued to find space down the flanks, and moments later Samuel Lino threatened to break the deadlock, cutting in from the left and flashing a shot wide.
That though was as good as it got for Flamengo in the first half, and the men in red and black were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men after 30 minutes following a melee that erupted when Palmeiras defender Bruno Fuchs brought down Flamengo star Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
As tempers flared, Flamengo's Chilean international Erick Pulgar flew in and kicked out at Fuchs, yet somehow escaped only with a yellow.
Flamengo again looked the more threatening team after halftime while struggling to create clear-cut chances.
The breakthrough finally came on 67 minutes, when Arrascaeta swung in an inviting corner from the right.
Danilo -- inexplicably left unmarked -- rose unchallenged to head home for what would be the winning goal.
O.Meyer--JdB
