Fluminense banking on Engenhão form for semi-final edge | OneFootball

Fluminense kicks off its quest for a spot in the 2026 Campeonato Carioca final this Sunday (22). The Team of Warriors faces Vasco da Gama in the first leg of the State Championship semifinals. The match starts at 6 p.m. (Brasília time) at Estádio Nilton Santos, a stadium that, historically, brings good vibes and unforgettable title memories for the tricolor team.

Under the command of coach Luis Zubeldía, the goal is to build a comfortable advantage for the return leg and not depend on tight results. To achieve this, Fluminense counts on a powerful ally: its impressive record as the home team at the alvinegro stadium, where they have already shouted “we are champions” in generation-defining moments.

Numbers in favor of Fluzão

According to a survey by the portal Estatísticas Fluminense, the Tricolor das Laranjeiras has a 55.9% success rate playing at Nilton Santos (formerly Engenhão). The overall record shows tricolor superiority at the venue, especially during the years when the stadium served as the club’s main home during Maracanã’s renovations.

In total, in 130 matches played at the stadium, Fluminense has:

The offensive sector also tends to perform well when stepping onto the Engenho de Dentro pitch. The tricolor attack has scored 195 goals, while conceding 136 goals throughout its history at the venue.

A stadium written in green, white, and maroon

Nilton Santos is not just a place of good numbers; it’s the site of four of Fluminense’s most iconic titles this century. The club is even one of the arena’s most successful teams, surpassing even the stadium’s owner in major achievements at the venue.

Among the main achievements at Engenhão, the highlights are:

Additionally, it was at Nilton Santos that Fluminense officially lifted the trophy for their fourth Brazilian Championship title in 2012, in a trophy ceremony held after the match against Cruzeiro.

Encouraging recent memories

Tricolor fans don’t have to look far back to recall the team’s strength at the stadium. Fluminense’s last match at Nilton Santos was actually in this edition of the 2026 Campeonato Carioca. On that occasion, Zubeldía’s team visited Botafogo, the home side, and left the field with a 1-0 victory, goal by Kevin Serna.

With morale high and the weight of history on its side, Fluminense takes the field this Sunday to prove that, at Nilton Santos, the Team of Warriors feels right at home.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.