A place in the final decided from the spot
Estudiantes de La Plata reached the 2026 Copa Libertadores final after beating Flamengo on penalties in the semifinal. The Argentine Football Association reported a 3-2 shootout win, while FIFA highlighted Fernando Muslera’s three penalty saves in the tie.
The final will be Estudiantes against Palmeiras, according to FIFA’s semifinal review. For Argentine football, the matchup puts a La Plata club directly in contention for the continental title after a series settled through tension and execution under pressure.
Muslera’s weight in the shootout
Muslera’s performance shaped the decisive moment of the series. In a penalty shootout, where every attempt narrows the margin for error, the goalkeeper’s three saves gave Estudiantes the platform they needed to close out the tie against Flamengo.
The fact also frames the sporting reading of the night: Estudiantes did not need a wide advantage in the shootout, but timely answers in goal. With that support, the La Plata side cleared the semifinal and moved one match away from the Libertadores title.
Keep exploring
AFA — Estudiantes venció por penales a Flamengo y es finalista de la Libertadores ↗FIFA — Estudiantes and Palmeiras reach Libertadores final on penalties ↗Stories worth sharing.
