Latin America Sports Daily for Sunday, March 15, 2026

Venezuela pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Baseball Classic history on Saturday night, eliminating defending champion Japan 8-5 in Miami behind Wilyer Abreu’s go-ahead three-run homer and Ronald Acuna Jr.’s electrifying leadoff blast — clinching an Olympic berth in the process. Earlier in Houston, unbeaten Italy dispatched Puerto Rico 8-6 to reach the WBC semifinals for the first time. Today’s Latin America sports news also covers Flamengo’s dominant 3-0 derby demolition of Botafogo under Carlo Ancelotti’s watchful eye, Velez Sarsfield’s relentless march through the Argentine Apertura and Hugo Calderano’s heartbreaking seven-set exit from the WTT Champions Chongqing. The WBC semifinals are set: Dominican Republic vs. USA tonight and Italy vs. Venezuela on Monday, as Latin American financial news site The Rio Times provides comprehensive Latin America coverage of every matchday.

Latin America sports news WBC 2026 semifinals Venezuela Japan Italy Puerto Rico Brasileirao Flamengo Botafogo Argentine Apertura Velez Hugo Calderano LATAM market analysis emerging market intelligence Latin America

03
Flamengo Crush Botafogo 3-0 as Ancelotti Watches From the Stands

Flamengo Crush Botafogo 3-0 as Ancelotti Watches From the Stands

Football

Flamengo delivered a statement performance with Brazil national team coach Carlo Ancelotti in attendance, hammering rivals Botafogo 3-0 at the Nilton Santos in Brasileirao Rodada 6. Leonardo Jardim’s side took control when Samuel Lino finished clinically in the 13th minute after a scramble involving Varela and Barboza. Leo Pereira then curled a stunning free-kick into the top corner to double the lead before half-time.

Botafogo’s night went from bad to disastrous when Alexander Barboza was shown a straight red card for pulling back Pedro as the last man in first-half stoppage time. Pedro duly added the third early in the second half, tapping in Varela’s low cross from the right. The victory lifts Flamengo to 10 points, within touching distance of leaders Sao Paulo (13). Botafogo remain in the relegation zone on 3 points with two games in hand — a crisis brewing for coach Martin Anselmi barely months after their Libertadores elimination by Barcelona SC.

04

Velez Remain Invincible With Commanding 2-0 Win at Platense

Football

Velez Sarsfield extended their remarkable unbeaten run with a 2-0 victory at Platense in the opening match of Apertura Fecha 11, pulling further clear at the top of Zona A on 22 points from 10 games. Florian Monzon — punishing his former club — opened the scoring on eight minutes with a right-footed strike that deflected into the far corner after a slick Dilan Godoy lay-off.

Platense thought they had equalized through Gonzalo Lencina’s header, but VAR correctly ruled it out for offside. Lucas Robertone sealed it four minutes into the second half with a sweetly struck effort from outside the box — his first goal since returning from Europe — though the goal caused controversy as two balls were on the pitch at the moment of Godoy’s assist. Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s side have now gone 10 games without defeat (6W-4D) and lead the annual table as well.

05

Vitoria Beat Atletico-MG 2-0 in Barradao Boost

Football

Vitoria ended a four-match winless run in the Brasileirao with a deserved 2-0 victory over Atletico-MG at the Barradao, climbing to 11th in the table with seven points. Renato Kayzer opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a low free-kick that crept through the wall and past Everson, and Erick doubled the lead in the second half after a sharp move down the right flank. Jair Ventura’s side honored actor and lifelong fan Wagner Moura before kick-off, wearing character names on their jerseys during the first half.

For Eduardo Dominguez’s Atletico-MG, the defeat deepens their early-season malaise — they sit 15th with just five points from six games and have now lost three of their last four in all competitions. The Galo face Sao Paulo at home next Wednesday in a must-win fixture.

06

WBC Semifinals Set: DR vs USA Sunday, Italy vs Venezuela Monday

Baseball

The 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinal bracket is now complete, and three of the four teams are from Latin America. Tonight’s marquee showdown pits the tournament’s most devastating offense — the Dominican Republic, who have scored 51 runs in five games — against Team USA and the expected start of Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes. The game tips off at 8 p.m. ET at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Monday’s second semifinal is a fairy-tale matchup: unbeaten Italy (5-0), powered by Italian-American prospects and their celebratory espresso machine, against a Venezuela side riding the emotional high of eliminating Japan. The winner of each semifinal advances to Tuesday’s championship game. Venezuela’s Olympic qualification adds stakes beyond the trophy — the DR and USA had already clinched the other two Americas spots for Los Angeles 2028. Puerto Rico, Canada, Korea and Japan have all been eliminated.

07

Di Maria Inspires Rosario Central Past Banfield to Top Zona B

Football

Angel Di Maria’s influence proved decisive as Rosario Central came from behind to beat Banfield 2-1 in the other Fecha 11 opener, leapfrogging Belgrano to the top of Zona B on goal difference. Central’s comeback, inspired by the 37-year-old World Cup winner, underlined why they are genuine contenders in the second group.

The result sets up a fascinating Sunday program: the Cordoba superclasico between Belgrano and Talleres (17:30), River vs. Sarmiento (19:45) and Boca’s trip to Union (22:00) are all live on Argentine television, while the Brasileirao serves up Santos vs. Corinthians at the Vila Belmiro and Palmeiras vs. Mirassol.

08

Calderano Falls to Lebrun in Epic Seven-Set WTT Quarterfinal

Table Tennis

Brazil’s Hugo Calderano suffered a crushing quarterfinal exit at the WTT Champions Chongqing, losing to France’s Felix Lebrun 3-4 (10-12, 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 13-11) in an extraordinary 62-minute battle that featured three Calderano match points — two in the sixth set and one in the decider — all saved by the 19-year-old Frenchman.

The world No. 4 had led 3-1 in sets and appeared in total control before Lebrun mounted a stunning comeback, winning the fifth set at a canter and then clawing back from match point down twice in the sixth. The deciding seventh set was equally agonising — Calderano held match point at 10-9 but Lebrun produced a superb backhand topspin to save it and closed out 13-11. It extends Lebrun’s head-to-head advantage in 2025-26 and ends Calderano’s bid for a first WTT Champions title.

09

Puerto Rico Eliminated, Ending Olympic Dream

Baseball

Puerto Rico’s quarterfinal elimination by Italy carries consequences beyond the WBC itself. The loss means Puerto Rico can no longer qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics through the tournament — only the top two Americas teams (excluding hosts USA) earn berths, and both the Dominican Republic and Venezuela have now secured those spots. Puerto Rico’s hopes now rest on a separate qualifying event in 2027-28.

The defeat is particularly painful because several Puerto Rican stars were barred from playing by their MLB teams’ insurance policies, leaving the squad without key contributors. Manager Carlos Beltran praised his team’s fighting spirit — the four-run eighth-inning rally nearly forced a ninth-inning tie — but acknowledged the depth gap against Italy’s energized roster. Puerto Rico finish this WBC having reached the quarterfinals for the sixth time in six editions but remain without a title.

10

Looking Ahead: WBC Semifinal, Brasileirao Rodada 6, Cordoba Derby

Preview

Sunday, March 15
WBC SF: Dominican Republic vs. United States (8 p.m. ET, loanDepot Park, Miami — FS1)
Brasileirao R6: Santos vs. Corinthians (16:00 BRT, Vila Belmiro)
Brasileirao R6: Fluminense vs. Athletico-PR (16:00 BRT, Maracana)
Brasileirao R6: Internacional vs. Bahia (16:00 BRT, Beira-Rio)
Brasileirao R6: Palmeiras vs. Mirassol (18:30 BRT, Allianz Parque)
Brasileirao R6: Bragantino vs. Sao Paulo (20:30 BRT)
Brasileirao R6: Cruzeiro vs. Vasco (20:30 BRT, Mineirao)
Apertura F11: Belgrano vs. Talleres — Cordoba superclasico (17:30 ARG)
Apertura F11: River vs. Sarmiento (19:45 ARG)
Apertura F11: Union vs. Boca (22:00 ARG)