Brazil's Flamengo, Palmeiras to play Copa Libertadores final

Updated Sep. 29, 2021 10:57 p.m. ET
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — Two goals from Bruno Henrique set up an all-Brazilian final for this year's edition of Copa Libertadores featuring the two latest winners of the tournament.

Flamengo beat Ecuador's Barcelona 2-0 in Guayaquil on Wednesday and will face local rival Palmeiras at the Nov. 27 final at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo.

The Rio de Janeiro club, which won the trophy in 2019, had won the first leg by the same score.

Henrique opened the scoring in the 18th minute and added a second in the 50th minute.

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Palmeiras advanced Tuesday on away goals after a 1-1 draw at Atlético Mineiro. The first leg between the two finished 0-0.

Flamengo and Palmeiras will seek their third title in the Copa Libertadores. The two clubs have dominated Brazilian soccer since 2018, with heavy investments and talented young players.

Palmeiras secured its second South American title earlier this year in a 1-0 victory against Santos at the Maracanã Stadium. It was the club's first South American crown since 1999.

Flamengo beat Argentina's River Plate 2-1 in a thrilling final in 2019 to win its first South American title since 1981.

The will be the fourth all-Brazilian Copa Libertadores final, the second consecutive in the single-match format.

When teams played two legs, Sao Paulo beat Athletico in 2005 and lost to Internacional in 2006.

The Copa Sudamericana, the second most prestigious club tournament of the region, might also have an all-Brazilian final. Red Bull Bragantino advanced on Wednesday after beating Paraguay's Libertad 5-1 on aggregate. Its opponent in the Nov. 20 final will come from the match between Brazil's Athletico and Uruguay's Peñarol, who will play on Thursday.

Athletico won 2-1 at Peñarol in the first leg.

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