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Palmeiras Advances to Libertadores Final After Penalty Shoot‑Out

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Fluminense won the second leg 1‑0 with a goal from Hércules in the 37th minute of the second half, bringing the aggregate score to 2‑2. Palmeiras then prevailed in the penalty shoot‑out, winning 5‑3 after Carlos Miguel saved a Nonato attempt. The Brazilian club will face the winner of the Flamengo–Estudiantes tie in the final on November 28 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. In the first leg at the Maracanã, José Manuel López opened the scoring 45 minutes into the first half and Marlon Freitas doubled the lead 40 minutes into the second, before Wesley Natã equalised with a header at 45+3. Palmeiras needed only a draw to advance, while Fluminense had to win by one goal to force penalties and by two to progress outright. The second leg at the Nubank Parque saw a 0‑0 first half, with Fluminense making early substitutions. In the second half, Fluminense introduced Kevin Serna for Jefferson Savarino, while Palmeiras made several changes, including bringing on Ramón Sosa for López. At 37 minutes, Hércules scored from the edge of the box, leveling the aggregate. Abel Ferreira responded with further substitutions, but the score remained unchanged. The match went to penalties, where both teams had previously won shoot‑outs earlier in the competition. Palmeiras converted all five of their kicks, while Fluminense missed one. Carlos Miguel saved a Nonato penalty, and Marlon Freitas finished the shoot‑out for Palmeiras with a low right‑footed shot. Palmeiras will now chase their fourth CONMEBOL Libertadores title and Abel Ferreira’s third. The final will be played on November 28 in Montevideo. The match also marked Gustavo Gómez’s 91st appearance for Palmeiras in the competition, tying him with Sergio Aquino for the third‑most appearances for a single club in Libertadores history. Fluminense, who eliminated Palmeiras in the 1971 edition of the tournament, were eliminated on penalties. The semifinal was the second time a Brazilian‑vs‑Brazilian semifinal in the Libertadores has been decided by penalties, the first being Palmeiras–Corinthians in 2000.