Key Takeaways:
- Flamengo claimed a 1:0 victory against Racing in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals last night at the Maracanã
- Both sides had goals disallowed, while Racing registered only one shot on target, relying on goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses to keep hopes alive
- The decisive away leg in Avellaneda will be contested on October 30
Match Overview
Flamengo took a vital step towards a Copa Libertadores final appearance with a 1:0 win over Racing in the first leg of their semifinal tie at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro. The Brazilian side, heavily favoured ahead of kickoff, dominated proceedings and generated numerous scoring opportunities, but it took until the 88th minute for them to make the breakthrough. Jorge Carrascal’s low effort took a crucial deflection off Racing defender Marcos Rojo, wrong-footing goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses and handing the hosts the only goal of the evening.
📊🏆 Las estadísticas #bwinColombia del triunfo de @Flamengo ante @RacingClub por la Ida de la Semifinal de la CONMEBOL #Libertadores @BwinColombia #GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/eohiutycEb
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) October 23, 2025
Key Incidents and Disallowed Goals
The officiating team was kept busy as each side saw a goal chalked off during the contest. The match was fiercely contested, with Flamengo exerting home pressure from the outset. It was apparent early on that Racing would be tested defensively, with Cambeses called into action multiple times to deny De Arrascaeta and Carrascal. In the 16th minute, Giorgian De Arrascaeta set up Carrascal, whose shot was straight at Cambeses. Not long afterwards, De Arrascaeta missed a gilt-edged chance after good work from Guillermo Varela.
Racing’s best opportunity before the break came in the 32nd minute when Santiago Solari forced a save at Agustín Rossi’s near post. Flamengo continued to threaten, as De Arrascaeta narrowly missed with a direct free-kick and Cambeses produced two further key stops before half-time.
Second Half Drama
After the interval, Flamengo maintained their dominance, but the visitors nearly stunned the home support just after an hour. Santiago Sosa rose highest during a set piece to head against the crossbar, and as the rebound was bundled into the net, the goal was subsequently ruled out for an attacking foul on the part of Sosa.
De Arrascaeta remained the most advances threat for Filipe Luís’s side, but was withdrawn in the 72nd minute in favour of Samuel Lino. Bruno Henrique also replaced Pedro, with both substitutes playing pivotal roles. Lino thought he had broken the deadlock with a header in the 82nd minute, only for a VAR review to rule him offside.
The Decisive Moment and Second Leg Prospects
Flamengo’s breakthrough arrived in the 88th minute, as Bruno Henrique charged through on goal but was denied yet again by Cambeses. The ball remained active, allowing Carrascal to fire goalwards, and a fortuitous deflection off Marcos Rojo sent the ball over the line to hand Flamengo the advantage.
In the closing stages, Flamengo pushed for a second but managed the game sensibly to safeguard their narrow lead. The teams will meet again in the return leg at Avellaneda on October 30, with Racing confident of overturning the deficit in front of their own fans.
