Flamengo Advances to Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals After Defeating Cruzeiro

Flamengo secured a spot in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores with a 2 to 1 victory over Cruzeiro on Wednesday at the Maracanã. The result gave Flamengo a 3 to 2 aggregate lead following a 1 to 1 draw in the first leg. Giorgian De Arrascaeta opened the scoring for Flamengo in the 34th minute of the first half with a shot into the upper corner after a play involving Pedro. Cruzeiro equalized in the second half with a goal from captain Lucas Romero, who scored with a long range shot that beat goalkeeper Agustín Rossi. Flamengo regained the lead in the 60th minute when Samuel Lino scored after receiving a pass from Pedro. The match was attended by 72,481 fans. Flamengo, the current tournament champion, will face the winner of the series between Independiente del Valle and Deportes Tolima in the next round. That specific matchup was delayed due to a earthquake in Colombia. Beyond the sporting result, the qualification earned Flamengo over 9 million reais in prize money. The two teams are scheduled to meet again this Saturday in the Brasileirão league. In that competition, Flamengo currently sits second in the table, three points behind leader Palmeiras, while Cruzeiro is in fifth place.