Peñarol upsets Flamengo to reach Copa Libertadores semifinals

Peñarol will next play Botafogo, which beat Sao Paulo on penalties in an all-Brazil quarterfinal to reach the last four for the first time since 1973.

Maximiliano Olivera of Uruguay’s Penarol, celebrates at the end of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg match against Brazil’s Flamengo. | Photo Credit: AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico

Peñarol had a goalless draw at home against Brazil’s Flamengo to secure a spot in the Copa Libertadores semifinals for the first time in 13 years.

The Uruguayan club had won the first leg 1-0 via a Javier Cabrera goal.

Peñarol will next play Botafogo, which beat Sao Paulo on penalties in an all-Brazil quarterfinal to reach the last four for the first time since 1973.

Five-time champion Peñarol has struggled in the last decade in the Copa Libertadores with group-stage exits in its previous nine appearances. The Uruguayans haven’t reached this stage since a run to the final in 2011.

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Peñarol was an underdog against Flamengo, which spent more than $50 million in the offseason attempting to build a team capable of earning the club a fourth Copa Libertadores title.

In the other semifinal, Argentina’s River Plate will play against Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro.

The Copa Libertadores final is scheduled for November 30 in Buenos Aires. It’s the home of River Plate, which advanced over Chile’s Colo Colo. Atletico Mineiro defeated defending champion Fluminense 2-0 to reach the semifinals.

River Plate is led by coach Marcelo Gallardo, who returned after a brief stint with the Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. Gallardo won Copa Libertadores titles with River Plate in 2015 and 2018.