Wednesday delivered the upset night of the Libertadores group stage. Independiente Rivadavia pulled off a maracanazo — a debutant from Mendoza coming from behind to beat Fluminense 2-1 at the Maracanã and lead Group C with a perfect 6-from-6. Universidad Católica stunned Cruzeiro 2-1 at the Mineirão to blow Group D open. In São Paulo, Corinthians beat Santa Fe 2-0 to consolidate their Group E lead under Fernando Diniz, while Rosario Central won late at Libertad 1-0 through Copetti without the injured Di María. IDV hammered UCV 3-1 in Quito, ending Venezuela’s perfect CONMEBOL run. And in the Sudamericana, River beat Carabobo 1-0 at a full Monumental — but lost Fausto Vera to injury four days before the Superclásico. As always, The Rio Times delivers comprehensive Latin America coverage.
Libertadores MD2 Wednesday Apr 15, 2026
COMPETITION
RESULT
NOTE
Libertadores Gr C
Fluminense 1-2 Rivadavia
Maracanazo — Sartori, Arce; Arana
Libertadores Gr D
Cruzeiro 1-2 U. Católica
Giani, Martínez; Pereira — Chile upset
Libertadores Gr E
Corinthians 2-0 Santa Fe
Raniele 51′, Gustavo Henrique 80′
Libertadores Gr H
Libertad 0-1 R. Central
Copetti 83′; Di María absent
Libertadores Gr H
IDV 3-1 UCV
González brace; Venezuela streak ends
Sudamericana
River 1-0 Carabobo
Fausto Vera injured — Superclásico doubt
Libertadores MD2 (Thu)
Flamengo at Medellín
+ Palmeiras vs Cristal, Peñarol vs Platense
Superclásico (Apr 19)
River vs Boca
Monumental — 4 days away
01
Maracanazo: Independiente Rivadavia Beat Fluminense 2-1 on Their First-Ever Visit to Rio
Libertadores
The most extraordinary result of the Libertadores group stage arrived at the most historic venue. Independiente Rivadavia — making their first international visit in club history — came back from a goal down to beat Fluminense 2-1 at the Maracanã and take outright leadership of Group C with a perfect six points from six. Alfredo Berti’s Mendoza side joined an exclusive club: Argentine teams to have won at the Maracanã, alongside only Central Córdoba and Lanús.
Fluminense struck first through Guilherme Arana on 9 minutes, the left-back racing onto a Jefferson Savarino through-ball and finishing emphatically past Bolcato. The Tricolor dominated possession (71%) and shots (21 to 7), but Rivadavia grew into the match with remarkable composure. Fabrizio Sartori equalised on 37 minutes with a powerful header from a set piece — his first international goal — and the turning point arrived early in the second half. Alex Arce, the Paraguayan striker who scored the winner against Bolívar, pounced on a Fluminense defensive error on 51 minutes to make it 2-1. The goal was his 35th in 59 matches for the Leprosa.
Luis Zubeldía’s side threw everything at the visitors in the final half-hour — 22 shots, 9 on target — but Nicolás Bolcato produced a string of saves to preserve one of Argentine football’s great upsets. For Fluminense, the defeat compounds a difficult week following Sunday’s Fla-Flu loss. For Rivadavia, already confirmed as Apertura playoff qualifiers, the continental dream continues with genuine qualification hopes.
KEY STAT: Rivadavia: 6/6 points, 3 goals scored, 1 conceded. Fluminense: 1 point, -1 goal difference. Rivadavia had 7 shots to Fluminense’s 21 — a classic counter-attacking masterclass. Bolcato made 8 saves. Only the third Argentine club to win at the Maracanã.
02
Universidad Católica Stun Cruzeiro 2-1 at the Mineirão: Chilean Upset Blows Group D Open
Libertadores
The second upset of the night came at Belo Horizonte’s Mineirão, where Universidad Católica recovered from their opening-round defeat to Boca with a 2-1 victory at Cruzeiro. Justo Giani opened the scoring in the second half, Matheus Pereira equalised, and when the match seemed destined for a draw, Jimmy Martínez struck the winner in the closing stages to send the Chilean side home with one of the most important results in their recent Libertadores history.
The result transforms Group D. Boca Juniors lead with six points after Tuesday’s 3-0 demolition of Barcelona SC, while Universidad Católica and Cruzeiro are now tied on three points with identical goal differences. Barcelona SC remain bottom without a point. The Chilean club’s victory is particularly significant given their recent continental struggles — they had not won in Brazil in seven years.
For Cruzeiro, the defeat ends an eight-match home unbeaten run and puts Artur Jorge’s reshaping project under pressure. The Portuguese manager, appointed after Tite’s departure, had won three of his first four matches before the Belo Horizonte disappointment. Cruzeiro travel to Boca on April 28 in what now looks like a decisive fixture for their Libertadores hopes.
KEY STAT: Group D after MD2: Boca 6, U. Católica 3, Cruzeiro 3, Barcelona SC 0. Universidad Católica’s first win in Brazil since 2019. Boca have yet to concede a goal in the group — they host Cruzeiro on April 28 in what could be a group-defining match.
Latin America Sports Daily for Thursday, April 16, 2026.
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Copa Libertadores Matchday 2 Maracanazo Rivadavia Fluminense Catolica Cruzeiro Corinthians Rosario Central Copetti IDV UCV River Carabobo Fausto Vera
Football
03
Corinthians Beat Santa Fe 2-0 as Diniz Records Back-to-Back Libertadores Wins
Football
Corinthians backed up their opening-round win at Platense with another polished Libertadores performance, beating Independiente Santa Fe 2-0 at the Neo Química Arena to consolidate their Group E lead. Raniele opened the scoring on 51 minutes after a corner from Rodrigo Garro caused chaos in the Santa Fe box, and Gustavo Henrique doubled the lead on 80 minutes — also from a Garro set piece — with a header that the Argentine playmaker assisted from another dead-ball delivery.
Fernando Diniz’s fingerprints are now visible on this Corinthians team. The Brazilian coach’s possession-first philosophy has produced six consecutive points from two Libertadores matches, even as the Timão remain 16th in the Brasileirão. Garro — the former Platense man — has been at the heart of it all, creating chances in both matches with a level of vision that Corinthians have lacked all season. Yuri Alberto, Kayke, and the returning Jesse Lingard from the bench provided additional threats.
Santa Fe, meanwhile, extended their dismal Colombian continental streak — now 4 games without a win across Libertadores and Sudamericana. Pablo Repetto’s side drop to 1 point, level with Peñarol, who host Platense on Thursday. The Colombian federation’s concern about its clubs’ 2026 continental performance is rising by the week.
KEY STAT: Group E after MD2: Corinthians 6, Peñarol 1*, Santa Fe 1, Platense 0* (*= to play Thursday). Diniz has won both his Libertadores matches — his first back-to-back wins as Corinthians coach across all competitions. Garro has 3 assists in 2 Libertadores matches.
04
Copetti Strikes Late for Rosario Central in Asunción; IDV Hammer UCV 3-1 in Quito
Football
Group H delivered its own drama. At the Tigo La Huerta in Asunción, Rosario Central won 1-0 at Libertad without the injured Ángel Di María — Enzo Copetti striking the decisive goal on 83 minutes after Emanuel Coronel’s incisive through-ball. The Paraguayan goalkeeper Ángel González had kept Libertad in the match with several superb saves, but Copetti finished decisively past the near post. Jorge Almirón’s side now lead the group provisionally with four points.
The lead didn’t last long. Hours later at the Banco Guayaquil in Quito, Independiente del Valle beat Universidad Central 3-1 in a match that ended Venezuelan football’s extraordinary continental run. Jovanny Bolívar opened the scoring for UCV on 20 minutes with a composed finish from a Juan Cuesta assist, but Jordy Alcívar equalised on 43 minutes before Carlos González converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to turn the game around. The same González added his second on 63 minutes with a header. UCV’s Juan Viacava was sent off on 77 minutes.
The result levels Group H at the top: Rosario Central and IDV both on four points, ahead of UCV (3) and Libertad (0). For Venezuelan clubs, who had gone W3 D2 L0 across the first matchday of both CONMEBOL tournaments, the defeat ends their perfect start — but their aggregate continental record remains the best in their history.
KEY STAT: Group H after MD2: Rosario Central 4, IDV 4, UCV 3, Libertad 0. Di María (muscle) missed Rosario Central’s win — his fitness for the next group match on April 28 (vs UCV in Caracas) is a concern. Copetti’s 83rd-minute goal was his first for Central in 2026.
05
River Beat Carabobo 1-0 But Lose Fausto Vera to Injury Four Days Before Superclásico
Football
River Plate secured their first Sudamericana victory of the 2026 campaign with a 1-0 win over Carabobo at the Monumental — but the night was dominated by a concerning injury that may reshape Sunday’s Superclásico. Midfielder Fausto Vera was forced off early in the second half with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, triggering alarm in Eduardo Coudet’s coaching staff just four days before the trip to the Bombonera.
The match itself was more difficult than expected. Carabobo — the Venezuelan side who famously beat Red Bull Bragantino 1-0 last week — set up defensively and frustrated a River side showing signs of the physical fatigue that comes from balancing three competitions. The breakthrough arrived through the forwards who sealed Sunday’s win at Racing, with Coudet opting to rest Colidio for part of the match and save minutes for the Superclásico.
River now top Sudamericana Group H on four points, with Bragantino and Carabobo both on three and Blooming on one. More pressingly, Coudet must now manage Vera’s injury alongside squad rotation for the biggest match of the Argentine season. Boca, who have not played since Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Barcelona SC, have a clear recovery advantage heading to Núñez.
KEY STAT: River: Sudamericana W1 D1 L0, 4 points, Group H leaders. Fausto Vera’s injury is the primary Superclásico concern — alongside Marchesín’s doubt for Boca. Both midfielders would represent starting XI losses if ruled out. River: 5 full days rest before Superclásico; Boca 4.
06
Thursday Preview: Flamengo at Medellín, Palmeiras vs Sporting Cristal, Peñarol Host Platense
Preview
Matchday 2 concludes Thursday with four Libertadores fixtures featuring the competition’s biggest names. Flamengo travel to Independiente Medellín in Group A — the defending champions seeking to maintain their perfect start after the Fla-Flu win on Sunday and the Cusco altitude victory last week. Leonardo Jardim’s side are top of the group with three points.
Palmeiras host Sporting Cristal at the newly renamed arena (Group F), with the Verdão looking to recover from Sunday’s frustrating 0-0 draw with Corinthians. Lanús play Always Ready at La Fortaleza (Group G), needing a response to their opening defeat at Mirassol. The most intriguing fixture may be Peñarol vs Platense at the Campeón del Siglo in Montevideo (Group E) — a match between two clubs with contrasting Libertadores histories.
The week’s continental programme then concludes with Sudamericana matchday 2 completion and a return to domestic fixtures: the Superclásico on Sunday is the headline, but Brasileirão Rodada 12 also runs across the weekend with fixtures carrying major implications for Palmeiras’ lead at the top.
KEY STAT: Thursday Libertadores: Palmeiras vs Sporting Cristal (17:00), Lanús vs Always Ready (17:00), Flamengo at Medellín (19:30), Peñarol vs Platense (19:30). The Superclásico — River vs Boca at the Monumental — kicks off Sunday April 19 at 17:00 local time.
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