Latin America Sports Daily for Friday, August 21, 2026

Flamengo Edge Past Cruzeiro to Keep Title Hopes Alive

Result

Flamengo won a tense all-Brazilian tie against Cruzeiro, taking the second leg 2-1 at the Maracanã. That followed a 1-1 first-leg draw in Belo Horizonte, giving Flamengo a 3-2 aggregate success.

The result puts Flamengo into a quarter-final against either Independiente del Valle or Deportes Tolima. The Ecuadorian side lead that tie 1-0 ahead of Tuesday’s second leg in Quito.

Estudiantes Send a Message with Dominant Win in Chile

Result

Estudiantes de La Plata produced the most emphatic result of the round, winning 3-0 away to Universidad Católica. The Argentinian club had drawn the first leg 1-1 at home.

The 4-1 aggregate scoreline sets up a quarter-final against the winner of Corinthians versus Rosario Central. Corinthians won the second leg 1-0 in São Paulo on Thursday to advance 1-0 on aggregate.

Palmeiras Grit Out Victory in Paraguay to Advance

Result

Palmeiras secured a hard-fought 1-0 win away to Cerro Porteño in Asunción. The Brazilian side had drawn 1-1 at Allianz Parque in the first leg.

The 2-1 aggregate win puts Palmeiras into the quarter-finals, where they will face LDU Quito, who drew 0-0 at home on Thursday and advanced 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate.

Independiente del Valle Carry Lead into Tuesday’s Decisive Second Leg

Preview

Independiente del Valle won the first leg 1-0 away to Deportes Tolima in Colombia. The return fixture is set for Tuesday 25 August at Independiente del Valle’s Ciudad Deportiva in Sangolquí, outside Quito, where IDV have a formidable continental record.

The winner will face Flamengo in the quarter-finals. The official competition calendar lists the last-eight first legs for 8–10 September 2026, with second legs a week later.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ

Which teams have qualified for the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals?

Confirmed qualifiers are Fluminense, Flamengo, Estudiantes, Palmeiras, Platense, Corinthians and LDU Quito. Corinthians beat Rosario Central 1-0 in São Paulo on Thursday night, and LDU Quito went through 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw with Mirassol. The last place goes to the winner of Independiente del Valle against Deportes Tolima on Tuesday 25 August.

When are the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals played?

The official schedule lists first legs from 8–10 September 2026 and second legs from 15–17 September 2026. The bracket was fixed by the round-of-16 draw in May, so there is no separate quarter-final draw. First legs run 8–10 September, second legs 15–17 September.

What happened in the Flamengo versus Cruzeiro tie?

Flamengo drew the first leg 1-1 in Belo Horizonte, then won the return at the Maracanã 2-1. That gave Flamengo a 3-2 aggregate victory and a place in the quarter-finals.