Flamengo stitched up by refs, draw with Estudiantes, stay top | OneFootball

Referee Piero Maza failed to send off two Estudiantes players against Flamengo

Flamengo remain top of Group A in the Copa Libertadores. This Wednesday (29), the Rubro-Negro held on for a 1-1 draw with Estudiantes (ARG) at Estádio UNO, in La Plata. Luiz Araújo scored for the Most Beloved, and Carrillo leveled the match.

The Brazilian side left the pitch furious over the failure to send off Farías and Tomas Palacios, one in each half. However, referee Piero Maza chose to ignore both incidents, benefiting the home team.

With the result, Flamengo move up to seven points at the top of the group. Estudiantes are second with five. In third place is Independiente Medellín (COL), with one point. Cusco (PER) are bottom with none. The two bottom teams face each other this Thursday (30) in Colombia.

HOW WAS THE FIRST HALF?

The match began with Estudiantes taking more initiative and spending more time in attack. Flamengo, meanwhile, stayed compact and waited for openings on the counterattack. The home side hovered around the box but created little real danger. The visitors, meanwhile, threatened on a quick break led by Luiz Araújo.

However, Flamengo fans panicked in the 18th minute. After being fouled, Arrascaeta landed awkwardly on the turf, felt severe shoulder pain and asked to be substituted. The number 10 is now a concern for the coming matches. As a result, Leonardo Jardim brought on Jorge Carrascal.

The Colombian came on well. In the 26th minute, Carrascal played a lovely one-two with Samuel Lino, who shot from inside the box, but the ball went just wide of Muslera’s left post. Estudiantes responded in the 29th minute, with Farías shooting over Rossi’s goal.

Lino shone in the first half and was involved in Flamengo’s goal! In the 32nd minute, the winger threaded a pass through to Bruno Henrique, who beat his marker with strength and pace and squared it to Luiz Araújo, completely free and with no goalkeeper in front of him, to open the scoring. Mengão 1-0 in La Plata!

Later, the officiating gave Estudiantes a helping hand. Farías scissored Emerson Royal, but the referee showed only a yellow card. According to refereeing analyst PC Oliveira, from Grupo Globo, the player deserved a straight red. 

HOW WAS THE SECOND HALF?

Estudiantes came flying out for the second half. Before the first minute had even passed, Rossi had to make a difficult save from Amondarain’s shot inside the box. Five minutes in came the Argentinians’ best chance. Meza crossed into the area and Farías, completely unmarked, headed wide. 

In the ninth minute of the second half, there was an incredible sequence. Bruno Henrique received a spectacular pass and went one-on-one with Muslera, who made the save. On the rebound, Luiz Araújo was also denied by the Uruguayan goalkeeper. On the counterattack, Estudiantes equalized. After a cross from the right and a scramble in the box, Carrillo made it 1-1.

Shortly after, Flamengo strongly appealed for a penalty after Emerson Royal went forward. Furious, Leonardo Jardim entered the pitch and was shown a red card. On the other side, Estudiantes coach ‘Cacique’ Medina was also sent off.

If he denied Farías a red card in the first half, referee Piero Maza also failed to send off Tomas Palacios in the second. The defender went in studs up on Bruno Henrique, was already on a yellow, but the referee “pretended not to see it.”

In the closing stages, Estudiantes piled on the pressure but hardly managed to trouble Rossi. So Flamengo adopted a more cautious approach to hold on to an important away point in the 2026 Copa Libertadores. In stoppage time, Pedro missed two good chances, while Amondarain wasted an even clearer one, and Rossi came to the rescue.

WHEN IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT MATCH?

Flamengo will be back in action in the Copa Libertadores on Thursday (07) against Independiente Medellín, in Colombia. Before that, however, the Most Beloved have a Brasileirão fixture. On Sunday (03), the opponent will be Vasco da Gama, at 4:00 p.m. (Brasília time), at the Maracanã.

MATCH DETAILSESTUDIANTES 1-1 FLAMENGOCompetition: Copa Libertadores, Group A Matchday 3Venue: Jorge Luis Hirschi StadiumDate: April 29, 2026, WednesdayGoals: Luiz Araújo 32’/1st half, Carrillo 9’/2nd half

Estudiantes: Muslera, Meza, Pirez, Tomas Palacios and Benedetti; Piovi, Tiago Palacios, Amondarain, Neves and Farías; Carrillo. Coach: Alexander ‘Cacique’ Medina.

Flamengo: Agustín Rossi, Emerson Royal, Danilo, Vitão and Alex Sandro; Evertton Araújo, Jorginho and Arrascaeta; Samuel Lino, Luiz Araújo and Bruno Henrique. Coach: Leonardo Jardim.

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