In the tight, urgent atmosphere of Vicente López, Fluminense found the one moment of quality needed to escape a stirring Platense comeback and reach the Copa Libertadores 2026 semi-finals. The Brazilian side lost 2-1 in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, but Agustín Canobbio’s second-half strike preserved a 3-2 aggregate victory after Fluminense’s 2-0 first-leg advantage.
Platense had turned the quarter-final into a very different contest from the opening minutes at the Ciudad de Vicente López stadium. Martín Palermo’s team pressed hard through midfield, denied the visitors possession and repeatedly drove forward through the full-backs. Fluminense, backed by flashes from the experienced Hulk and Ganso, struggled to settle amid the noise from the home stands.
The hosts’ first-half work was rewarded after 30 minutes. Guido Mainero reacted quickest when the ball broke loose following a sequence of rebounds and put Platense ahead, cutting the overall deficit in half. Just before the interval, Mainero then supplied a measured cross for Bruno Sepúlveda, whose header made it 2-0 on the night and levelled the tie on aggregate. The Marrón support, sensing an extraordinary reversal in the club’s first Libertadores campaign, erupted.
But the second half brought the decisive reminder of Fluminense’s individual pedigree. In the 57th minute, Uruguayan forward Canobbio collected the ball near the left edge of Juan Pablo Cozzani’s area, drove inside, beat Platense defenders with a sharp dribble and guided his finish into the far corner. The goal silenced the stadium and restored the visitors’ aggregate lead.
Palermo responded by sending on Juan Gauto and Franco Zapiola in search of another goal, yet Platense’s attacks became less precise as the match opened up. Kevin Serna, introduced from the Fluminense bench, exploited the space behind the home defence with his pace as the visitors managed the closing stages.
There was still one final escape for the Carioca club. Veteran goalkeeper Fábio, 46, made two goal-line saves late on to secure the tie and end Platense’s challenge. The Argentine side were applauded off by their supporters despite elimination, though the result leaves added frustration in a historic season: their first continental campaign has not been matched by a strong enough domestic position to be close to qualifying for international football in 2027.
For inconsistent Fluminense, the Libertadores now becomes the central route to meaning in 2026. The club will pursue a second continental crown after lifting the competition in 2023.
