Fábio Deivson Lopes Maciel, at 45 years old, proved he is *the* difference-maker for Fluminense, single-handedly sending them into the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals this Tuesday. After a wild 1-1 draw in regular time that included a gut-punch goal conceded at the 96th minute following VAR intervention, Tricolor pulled off an epic 5-4 win in the penalty shootout. You can’t write this stuff.
The Game Plan Crumbles, Then Clicks
Fluminense went into this match aiming for control, holding 68% possession, but that didn’t translate into many scoring chances or real pressure on Rivadavia. Without support, Soteldo on the left couldn’t make a difference. Rivadavia, on the other hand, was trying to hit them on the counter, but they didn’t even manage to hit Fábio’s goal during regulation. The whole game plan for Flu took a massive hit in the 13th minute of the second half when Canobbio picked up his second yellow and got sent off. Talk about tension! Coach Marcão had to adapt fast, pulling Ganso and Hulk for Lucho and Serna to keep some pace on the field. This deeper, counter-attacking strategy actually paid off in the 76th minute when Hércules delivered a long ball to Serna, and “Cristiano Sernaldo” delivered, putting Flu up.
VAR Drama and Penalty Heroics
Just when it looked like Flu might hold on, the VAR stepped in. After the ball went into the Tricolor box, Studer hit it first time, and it struck Ignácio’s right arm. The ref initially signaled offside, but VAR called him over, and he came back to award the penalty. Libertadores top scorer Arce stepped up in the 96th minute and slammed it home, making it 1-1. The momentum felt totally gone for Fluminense. Then came the shootout. Lucho Acosta blasted his effort over the bar right out of the gate. Things looked bleak. But then, the man, the legend, Fábio, came through. He denied Florentín and Atencio with two absolutely clutch saves, securing the 5-4 victory for Tricolor. What a turnaround, from going down to 10 men, to late frustration, to a dramatic shootout win!
What’s Next for Tricolor?
Fluminense now awaits its quarterfinals opponent, which will be the winner between Coquimbo Unido and Platense. They played to a 1-1 draw in Argentina, and the second leg is Wednesday. Beyond that, a possible semifinal matchup could be against LDU, Mirassol, Cerro Porteño, or Palmeiras. First though, Tricolor gets back to Brasileirão action on Saturday, August 22nd. They are currently fourth in the league standings and will face 18th-place Remo at the Maracanã. You know they’ll be riding high after that incredible win!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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