📹 Flu beat Palmeiras, overcome Arias and refereeing row, win again | OneFootball

At the Maracanã, Fluminense beat Palmeiras 3-2 this Saturday (15), in the 23rd round of the 2026 Brasileirão.

Despite being in the G-4, both teams took the field under pressure from their recent results this season.

The Rio Tricolor, in fact, had Marcão back for his second debut as interim coach after the dismissal of Argentine manager Luis Zubeldía.

And the "new manager bounce" did give the hosts a lift, as they started the match better.

But it was Verdão who opened the scoring, with captain and goal-scoring center-back Gustavo Gómez heading home from a corner.

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Fluminense were not shaken by the goal, but they did lose some of their early momentum.

However, late in the first half, after a good passing move, Canobbio crossed from the right and Hulk headed past Carlos Miguel to make it all square.

📸 Wagner Meier - 2026 Getty Images

The Laranjeiras Tricolor came back better after the break and produced their best football since the World Cup returned, moving the ball quickly and carving through the São Paulo side.

But after Hulk and Paulo Henrique Ganso went off, Palmeiras started to feel comfortable on the pitch again.

In that scenario, late in the game, Verdão went back in front with a powerful strike from Maurício, finishing inside the box after Flaco López’s glancing header.

 But Fluminense showed character to level it again four minutes later, when Kevin Serna pounced on the rebound after Germán Cano’s header hit the post.

In stoppage time, Germán Cano showed why he will forever be a Tricolor top scorer and idol, nodding home from close range into the back of the net.

🤬 Anger and resentment

In recent matches, Fluminense fans’ anger had been directed at then-manager Luis Zubeldía, club general director Mário Bittencourt, and president Matheus Montenegro.

Against Palmeiras, however, the target was John Arias, who chose Verdão over Tricolor after leaving Wolverhampton in England.

Every time the Colombian touched the ball, the entire Maracanã booed and insulted the former Fluminense idol.

In fact, when he came off in the second half after being substituted, John Arias heard the Maracanã sing, "Olê olê olê olá, Judas, Judas!"

😯 There was refereeing controversy

Early in the second half, Fluminense players appealed for a penalty in a play where the ball appeared to hit right-back Giay’s arm.

Referee Anderson Daronco did not call the foul, and VAR did not send him to the monitor for a review.

On social media, the incident drew plenty of attention from users.

The explanation from "refereeing expert" Paulo César de Oliveira, who backed the referee’s decision, was also challenged by social media users.

🚦 How things stand

With the result, Palmeiras remain top of the table with 48 points, but they could see Flamengo, with two games in hand, cut the gap to three points by the end of the round.

Fluminense, meanwhile, won again after eight official matches and stayed in fourth place with 38 points.

The Laranjeiras Tricolor now goes in search of the "Miracle of Mendoza" next Tuesday (18), when they face Independiente Rivadavia in Argentina in the second leg of the Libertadores round of 16 (first leg 0-0).

And Verdão travel to Paraguay on Wednesday (19), needing a win over Cerro Porteño after a 1-1 draw in the first leg, in the same stage of the continental tournament.

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

📸 Wagner Meier - 2026 Getty Images