Latin America Sports Daily for Friday, September 18, 2026

Today’s headlines September 18, 2026

Flamengo Hold On With Ten Men to Reach the Libertadores Semi-Finals

Flamengo drew 1-1 with Independiente del Valle at the Maracanã on Thursday night and advanced 3-1 on aggregate. The kick-off was at half past nine in Rio, half past midnight in London.

Djorkaeff Reasco put the Ecuadorians ahead in the 30th minute. Giorgian De Arrascaeta equalised in the 82nd, by which point Flamengo had been down to ten men for eighteen minutes.

Jorginho was sent off in the 64th minute. The first leg in Quito on 10 September had finished 0-2 to Flamengo, with goals from Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira.

Flamengo meet Estudiantes in the semi-finals. The other tie is an all-Brazilian affair between Fluminense and Palmeiras.

Montevideo City Torque Overturn Two Goals to Complete the Sudamericana Four

Montevideo City Torque beat Cienciano 3-0 at the Estadio Centenario on Thursday to reach their first continental semi-final. They had lost the first leg 2-0 in Peru.

It was the last quarter-final of the Copa Sudamericana to be decided. The result completes a semi-final line-up of Boca Juniors against Vasco da Gama and Atlético Mineiro against Torque.

Atlético Mineiro had qualified on Wednesday, beating Santos 4-2 after extra time at the Arena MRV and 3-1 on penalties. The tie finished 4-4 on aggregate after Santos won the first leg 2-0 at the Vila Belmiro.

Vasco went through on Monday, beating Santa Fe 2-0 at São Januário after a goalless first leg. The semi-finals are scheduled for 13 and 14 October with second legs on 20 and 21 October.

Thirty Medal Events on the Busiest Day of the South American Games

The thirteenth South American Games are running in Rosario, Santa Fe and Rafaela until 26 September. Friday is the heaviest day of the programme with thirty medal events.

Athletics, sprint canoe, track cycling, fencing, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, shooting, weightlifting and wrestling all decide medals today. Fifteen nations are competing across 43 sports and 60 disciplines.

Brazil leads the medal table. The games opened on 12 September at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario.

The full programme covers 465 events across the two weeks. Events are also being staged in Paraná, Vicente López and Mar del Plata.

The SP Open Reaches Its Quarter-Finals in São Paulo

The SP Open, a tour-level women’s tournament, reaches its quarter-finals today at Parque Villa-Lobos in São Paulo. The final is on Sunday 20 September.

Leylah Fernandez is the top seed. The field also includes Paula Badosa, Yulia Putintseva, Tereza Valentová and Solana Sierra. Total prize money is US$283,347.

Ground passes cost R$30, about US$6, from today through the final. That is unusually cheap for a tour event and reflects a deliberate pricing decision by the organisers.

The main draw began on 14 September. It is the only tour-level women’s event in Brazil this season.

Qualifying ran on 12 and 13 September and was free to attend with a reservation. Ground passes were R$50, about US$10, from Monday to Thursday before dropping for the weekend.

Liga MX Opens Round Nine and Argentina Starts Its Tenth

Puebla host Atlante at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc this evening at seven o’clock local time. Juárez play Tigres in the second Friday fixture, with the kick-off time not published.

Toluca lead the Mexican table on nineteen points after winning a rescheduled match at Puebla. Chivas are on seventeen and América on sixteen, with two games still pending across the division.

In Argentina, the tenth round of the Clausura opens today. Central Córdoba play Defensa y Justicia at six and Racing meet Sarmiento at quarter past nine, with San Lorenzo hosting Boca on Sunday.

There is no Brasileirão football today. Round 28 falls on Sunday, with Flamengo hosting Red Bull Bragantino at the Maracanã and Palmeiras meeting Grêmio.

Around the Region

Flamengo lead the Brazilian league on 57 points from 27 matches, one ahead of Palmeiras. Athletico and Bahia share third place on 46.

Colo-Colo lead the Chilean Primera División on 54 points from 23 matches, twelve clear of the field. It is the largest lead in any major league on the continent.

Lionel Messi’s farewell match for Argentina is set for 6 October against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. It falls inside the October international window.

There is no Formula One race this weekend. The championship resumes in Azerbaijan from 24 to 26 September.

Mexican wrestling marks its biggest night of the year today. The CMLL 93rd Anniversary show is staged at the Arena México in the capital.

Saturday brings a full Argentine programme. River Plate host Huracán at seven, Unión meet Independiente at quarter to five and Instituto play Talleres at quarter past nine.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who reached the 2026 Copa Libertadores semi-finals?

Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras and Estudiantes. Flamengo play Estudiantes and Fluminense meet Palmeiras, with first legs from 13 to 15 October.

What was the Flamengo result?

Flamengo drew 1-1 with Independiente del Valle at the Maracanã on 17 September and advanced 3-1 on aggregate. Reasco scored for the visitors and De Arrascaeta equalised in the 82nd minute.

Who is in the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals?

Boca Juniors face Vasco da Gama and Atlético Mineiro play Montevideo City Torque. The semi-finals are on 13 and 14 October with second legs on 20 and 21 October.

Is there Brasileirão football today?

No. Round 28 is played on Sunday 20 September, with Flamengo hosting Red Bull Bragantino and Palmeiras meeting Grêmio.

What is happening at the South American Games today?

Thirty medal events across athletics, sprint canoe, track cycling, fencing, gymnastics, shooting, weightlifting and wrestling. Brazil currently leads the medal table.

When is Messi’s farewell match for Argentina?

On 6 October against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires. It falls inside the October international window.

Sources: VAVEL, Fox Sports and La Nación on the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals; El Observador and Líbero on the Copa Sudamericana; Atlético Mineiro club report on the Santos tie; Juegos Suramericanos Santa Fe 2026 programme; WTA tournament information for the SP Open; TV Azteca and Vanguardia for Liga MX fixtures; Liga Profesional de Fútbol for the Argentine round; Um Dois Esportes for the Brasileirão table.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief