Honduras’s Real España were hammered 6–1 by LAFC on home soil in CONCACAF Champions Cup action as the region’s top club tournament heated up on Tuesday. In Colombia, Jaguares pulled off a stunning 3–1 upset of Independiente Santa Fe to climb into the Liga BetPlay’s top eight. The Copa do Brasil’s expanded 126-team 38th edition kicked off with Sampaio Corrêa-RJ drawing Desportiva 1–1 in the first round. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Liga MX Clausura is rolling toward a blockbuster Round 7 showdown between league leaders Chivas and second-placed Cruz Azul, Argentina’s Liga Profesional saw Ángel Di María shine for Rosario Central over the weekend, and the World Baseball Classic is now just 15 days from first pitch with Latin American rosters officially locked in. From Montería to San Pedro Sula to Saquarema, this is your continent’s daily sports briefing.
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Tuesday Scoreboard — 17 February 2026
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All results verified against official sources
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Competition
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Result
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Note
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CONCACAF Champions Cup R1
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Real España (HON) 1–6 LAFC
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1st leg; Bouanga hat trick; see Card 1
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CONCACAF Champions Cup R1
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Atlético Ottawa (CAN) 0–2 Nashville SC
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1st leg; Pacius 66′, Surridge 90’+5′
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Liga BetPlay — Matchday 8
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Jaguares 3–1 Santa Fe
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Rain delay; see Card 2
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Liga BetPlay — Matchday 8
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Alianza 1–1 Cúcuta
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Bottom-table draw in Valledupar
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Copa do Brasil — 1st Round
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Sampaio Corrêa-RJ 1–1 Desportiva-ES
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2026 edition kicks off; see Card 4
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Argentine LPF — Round 4 (wkd)
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Rosario Central 2–0 Barracas; Boca 0–0 Platense
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Di María scored; see Card 6
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Argentine LPF — Round 4 (wkd)
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Instituto 2–0 C. Córdoba; Gimnasia 0–0 Estudiantes
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La Plata derby goalless; Riestra 1–1 Newell’s
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Liga MX Clausura — Round 6 (wkd)
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Chivas 1–0 América (Clásico Nacional)
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Chivas 6-0-0; see Card 3
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01Real España Demolished 6–1 as CONCACAF Champions Cup Week 3 Begins
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Football
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\nHonduras’s 12-time champions Real España were torn apart by LAFC in San Pedro Sula’s Estadio Francisco Morazán, losing the first leg of their Round One tie 6–1 in one of the most lopsided results in recent CONCACAF Champions Cup history. Denis Bouanga scored a hat trick (3′, 24′, 62′) while Son Heung-Min contributed a penalty (22′) and three assists in a devastating display. David Martínez (11′) and Timothy Tillman (39′) also found the net, giving LAFC a 5–0 lead at the break. Jack Jean-Baptiste pulled one back for Real España in the 51st minute, but it was merely cosmetic. The second leg takes place February 24 at BMO Stadium. In the other Tuesday first-leg match, Nashville SC beat Atlético Ottawa 2–0 in Hamilton with goals from Woobens Pacius (66′) and Sam Surridge in stoppage time. Wednesday brings two more first legs: Defence Force FC (Trinidad and Tobago) vs Philadelphia Union and O&M FC (Dominican Republic) vs FC Cincinnati.
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LATAM ANGLE Central American sides have been outmatched in the early rounds: Olimpia (Honduras) lost to América on aggregate, Xelajú (Guatemala) fell to Monterrey, and now Real España face elimination. The Round of 16 begins in March, where Liga MX powerhouses Toluca, Inter Miami, and defending champions Cruz Azul await.
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02Liga BetPlay — Jaguares Stun Santa Fe 3–1, Title Race Tightens
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Football
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\nColombia’s Liga BetPlay 2026-I delivered a shock on Tuesday as Jaguares de Córdoba dismantled Independiente Santa Fe 3–1 at Estadio Jaraguay in Montería, a match delayed by heavy rain and electrical storms. After a 30-minute stoppage, Jaguares took control with goals from Cristian Álvarez and Jader Maza (81′), making it 3–0 before Omar Fernández Frasica netted a late consolation for Santa Fe. The defeat compounds Santa Fe’s inconsistent form under Pablo Repetto. In the day’s earlier match, bottom-dwellers Alianza Valledupar and Cúcuta Deportivo drew 1–1 — Alianza’s coach Hubert Bodhert was later sacked, the fifth managerial change of the young season. The standings remain extremely tight: Internacional de Bogotá and Deportivo Pasto share the lead on 14 points after their own 1–1 draw last weekend. Deportes Tolima sit third with 12 points, while Bucaramanga, América de Cali, Deportivo Cali, Once Caldas, and now Fortaleza and Jaguares all sit on 10 points. Wednesday’s highlight: Junior host América de Cali (8:30 PM local) in a direct battle for the top eight.
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KEY STAT Atlético Nacional, despite having the best goal difference in the league (+7), sit ninth on just 9 points from fewer matches played. Defending champions Junior are 10th with 9 points and host América on Wednesday.
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\nLatin America Sports Daily for Wednesday, February 18, 2026. (Photo Internet reproduction)
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03Liga MX — Chivas’ Perfect Run Sets Up Blockbuster Cruz Azul Clash
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Football
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\nChivas de Guadalajara continued their dream start to Mexico’s Liga MX Clausura 2026 with a 1–0 victory over América in the Clásico Nacional at Estadio Akron on Saturday, extending their perfect record to six wins from six matches — 18 points, clear at the summit. Armando González’s first-half volley settled a dominant display by Gabriel Milito’s side, who also won consecutive Clásicos for the first time since 2020. Chivas are the first team in Liga MX to start a Clausura with six straight wins since José Luis Real’s Chivas side did it in 2010 before the World Cup. The Clausura now pauses until Round 7 this weekend, headlined by the blockbuster Cruz Azul vs Chivas on Saturday — the top two meeting in what could define the title race. Cruz Azul, who eliminated Chivas in last season’s quarterfinals, sit second. Elsewhere, Tigres host Pachuca on Friday night. At the other end, Mazatlán remain rooted to the bottom without a single point after six matches.
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KEY STAT Chivas’ Armando González has scored in three consecutive matches. Ex-Palmeiras signing Raphael Veiga made his América debut off the bench in the Clásico but couldn’t spark a comeback.
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04Copa do Brasil 2026 Kicks Off — New Format, 126 Teams, Long Road Ahead
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Football
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\nBrazil’s domestic cup competition launched its expanded 38th edition on Tuesday, with Sampaio Corrêa-RJ and Desportiva Ferroviária drawing 1–1 in the opening first-round match. The 2026 Copa do Brasil features the largest field in tournament history at 126 teams from all 27 state federations. The format has been revamped: the first four rounds use single-leg elimination, with home-and-away ties returning only from the fifth round onward. The 20 Série A clubs enter at the fifth round. First-round action continues throughout the week, with Porto-BA vs Serra Branca among Wednesday’s fixtures. The competition runs from February to December, with the final now a single match at a neutral venue with a minimum 40,000 capacity. The champion earns a Copa Libertadores group-stage berth, the runner-up enters the preliminary round.
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KEY STAT Cruzeiro are the all-time leaders with six Copa do Brasil titles. Flamengo and Grêmio have five each. Defending champions Flamengo will enter in the fifth round alongside all Série A sides.
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05WBC Countdown — 15 Days, Latin Rosters Officially Locked In
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Baseball
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\nWith 15 days until first pitch at Tokyo Dome on March 5, all 20 World Baseball Classic rosters are now official and Latin America’s contingent is loaded. The Dominican Republic, managed by Albert Pujols, fields an All-Star-caliber lineup: Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Manny Machado, and Ketel Marte, with pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Brayan Bello, and Luis Severino providing a vastly improved rotation over their 2023 first-round exit. Venezuela’s Pool D squad features Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, and Salvador Pérez. Mexico returns with Randy Arozarena, Jarren Duran, and Alejandro Kirk, competing in Pool B in Houston against the USA. Cuba’s roster includes 44-year-old Alexei Ramírez — set to become the oldest player in WBC history. Puerto Rico had its roster disrupted by insurance disputes but has pressed forward. Brazil returns after a 13-year absence, facing the USA, Mexico, Italy, and Great Britain in the tournament’s toughest pool. Colombia and Nicaragua also qualified through last year’s qualifiers. The top two Americas finishers qualify for the 2028 LA Olympics baseball tournament.
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KEY STAT Eight Latin American nations are competing: Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Brazil. A record 78 MLB All-Stars appear across all 20 rosters.
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06Argentine Liga Profesional — Di María Shines, Boca Frustrated at La Bombonera
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Football
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\nArgentina’s Liga Profesional 2026 Apertura completed Round 4 over the weekend with several notable results. Rosario Central cruised past Barracas Central 2–0 at the Gigante de Arroyito, with Enzo Copetti opening the scoring (58′) and Ángel Di María sealing it in the 90th minute — the 36-year-old icon continuing to deliver in his homecoming season. Boca Juniors were held to a frustrating 0–0 draw by Platense at La Bombonera, managing just three shots on goal while Platense had 14 attempts total. In the La Plata clásico, defending champions Estudiantes and Gimnasia played out a goalless stalemate. Instituto beat Central Córdoba (SE) 2–0 in Córdoba, and Riestra drew 1–1 with Newell’s. The new 30-team format — two groups of 15 in a single round-robin — continues with Round 5 beginning Wednesday: Defensa y Justicia vs Belgrano, San Lorenzo vs Estudiantes (RC), and Independiente Rivadavia vs Independiente headline the midweek slate. The big clash arrives Saturday: Boca Juniors vs Racing Club.
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CONTEXT The Argentine league expanded to 30 teams for 2026, with promoted sides Gimnasia y Esgrima (Mendoza) and Estudiantes (Río Cuarto) returning to the top flight after absences of 41 and 40 years respectively.
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07Carioca and Paulistão — Semifinals and Quarterfinals Await
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Football
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\nNo Carioca or Paulistão matches were played on Tuesday as both competitions took a midweek pause between rounds. In the Campeonato Carioca, FERJ is yet to confirm dates for the two-legged semifinals: Flamengo vs Madureira and Vasco vs Fluminense. The Taça Rio consolation bracket for eliminated sides Bangu, Botafogo, Boavista, and Volta Redonda also awaits scheduling. In São Paulo, the Paulistão quarterfinals are confirmed for Sunday, February 22 in single-elimination format: Novorizontino vs Santos, Palmeiras vs Capivariano (Arena Barueri), RB Bragantino vs São Paulo, and Portuguesa vs Corinthians. Semi-automated offside technology will debut from the quarterfinals onward. All eyes remain on Santos, where the Neymar-Gabigol partnership showed its potential in Sunday’s 6–0 rout of Velo Clube.
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CONTEXT The Paulistão quarterfinals are do-or-die: single match, penalties if drawn. Ponte Preta and Velo Clube have been relegated to the Série A2. Mirassol, a Série A club, failed to qualify for the knockouts.
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08Colombian League Snapshot — Inter Bogotá and Pasto Lead a Wide-Open Race
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Football
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\nThe Liga BetPlay Apertura 2026 is shaping up as one of the most competitive Colombian seasons in years. After seven-plus matchdays, Internacional de Bogotá and Deportivo Pasto share the lead on 14 points — a remarkable showing from two clubs not traditionally considered title favorites. Pasto and Inter drew 1–1 in a direct encounter over the weekend. Deportes Tolima are third on 12 points with the third-best goal difference (+4). A congested middle pack sees Bucaramanga, América de Cali, Deportivo Cali, and Once Caldas all on 10 points. Atlético Nacional, with the league’s best goal difference (+7), are 9th with 9 points from fewer matches. Defending champions Junior, also on 9 points, host América de Cali in Wednesday’s marquee fixture. At the bottom, newly promoted Alianza FC and Cúcuta Deportivo have just 2 points each. Superliga champions Santa Fe (7 points) have been disappointing domestically under Repetto after Tuesday’s 3–1 loss.
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KEY STAT The BetPlay Apertura must conclude by June 5 because of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The compressed schedule means midweek fixtures will be crucial — and managerial turnover is already high, with five coaching changes in just eight rounds.
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09Milano Cortina Day 11 — Braathen’s Gold Still Latin America’s Only Medal
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Olympics
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\nWith five competition days remaining in Milano Cortina, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen’s giant slalom gold continues to stand as the only medal for a Latin American nation — and indeed the first Winter Olympic medal in South American history. The Brazilian-Norwegian skier crashed out of Monday’s slalom but posted on social media that the gold “represents a dream beyond sport.” Norway leads the overall table with 31 medals (14 gold), Italy is second on 24 (9 gold), and the USA third on 21 (6 gold). Day 11 on Tuesday saw six medal events awarded across freeski big air, bobsled, biathlon relay, speed skating team pursuits, and Nordic combined — but none featured Latin American athletes on the podium. Day 12 (Wednesday) brings up to nine medal events including men’s ice hockey quarterfinals and women’s Alpine slalom. No Latin American competitors are entered in Wednesday’s medal events, but Braathen’s breakthrough has already made history.
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LATAM ANGLE Brazil remains the only Latin American nation ever to win a Winter Olympic medal. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico have all competed in Winter Games but have never reached the podium. Eighty of 116 medal events are now complete.
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10Looking Ahead — Wednesday, February 18
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Preview
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CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP
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Round One first legs continue: Defence Force FC (Trinidad and Tobago) vs Philadelphia Union at Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain (6 PM ET); O&M FC (Dominican Republic) vs FC Cincinnati (8 PM ET). Dominican Republic club O&M FC represents Santiago — a rare Champions Cup appearance for the island nation.
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LIGA BETPLAY
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Matchday 8 continues: Junior vs América de Cali (8:30 PM local) at Estadio Romelio Martínez in Barranquilla — a top-eight clash between defending champions and one of Colombia’s strongest sides. Deportivo Cali vs Atlético Nacional and Fortaleza vs Boyacá Chicó also feature.
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COPA DO BRASIL
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First-round action continues with multiple single-leg matches including Porto-BA vs Serra Branca. Fourteen first-round ties are spread across the week as the 126-team tournament begins its marathon to December.
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ARGENTINE LIGA PROFESIONAL
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Round 5 kicks off Wednesday: Defensa y Justicia vs Belgrano, San Lorenzo vs Estudiantes (RC), Independiente Rivadavia vs Independiente, Instituto vs Atlético Tucumán. The big weekend clash: Boca Juniors vs Racing Club on Saturday.
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WBC
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Spring training exhibitions continue. Dominican Republic preparation games scheduled at Estadio Quisqueya in Santo Domingo. Japan send-off series in Miyazaki. Countdown: 15 days to first pitch in Tokyo.
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All times are local unless noted. Check local listings.
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End of briefing
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\nCompiled by Oliver Mason — all results verified against official sources and wire reporting.
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This is part of The Rio Times’ comprehensive coverage of sports news across Brazil and Latin America.
