Fútbol Internacional
Flamengo controlled the ball, but Estudiantes held on and won on penalties
The 0-0 at the Maracanã left the tie level on the scoreboard, though with a huge difference in possession: Flamengo had 76% of the ball and could not break down Estudiantes. B. Rodriguez’s red card in the 50' marked a turning point, but even then the scoreline did not change.
Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata drew 0-0 at the Estádio do Maracanã, in a CONMEBOL Libertadores semifinal, and the tie was decided on penalties with Estudiantes winning 3-2. The most striking stat from the match was the imbalance in possession: Flamengo had 76% of the ball, but could not turn that control into a clear advantage on the scoreboard.
Tactical reading
The numbers paint a picture of a match in which Flamengo took on almost all the territorial burden, but without translating it into a clear difference in scoring chances. The home side finished with 13 shots and only 3 on target, while Estudiantes, with far less possession (24%), also recorded 8 shots and 3 on target. That comparison makes it clear that Flamengo’s possession was extensive, but not necessarily incisive.
The attacking output was also even when looking at what each team created: Flamengo finished with 0.9 in goal-scoring chances and Estudiantes with 0.8. The gap is minimal, and that helps explain why the 0-0 held until the end. Flamengo had more volume, but not enough superiority to break down a rival that stood firm with discipline and that, in addition, finished with fewer total shots but the same number on target.
Discipline also offers a clue to how the match unfolded: Estudiantes received 3 yellow cards and Flamengo had none. In that context, B. Rodriguez’s sending-off in the 50' was the turning point of the match. From there, the game was shaped by Estudiantes being down to ten men, although the scoreline did not move and the outcome remained open until penalties.
The standouts
The best ratings in the match went to Flamengo, which also helps explain who kept the team going through the longer stretch of the game.
- Lucas Paquetá: 7.3
- A. Rossi: 7.2
- Léo Pereira: 7.2
At the top of that list, Lucas Paquetá was the highest-rated player with 7.3, followed by A. Rossi and Léo Pereira, both on 7.2. All three were on Flamengo’s side, the team that had more of the ball and took more shots, even if it could not find the finishing touch needed to settle it in 90 minutes.
For Estudiantes, the biggest individual moment was the sending-off of B. Rodriguez in the 50', an incident that changed the match’s scenario, even if it did not alter the 0-0 within regulation time.
Closing thoughts
The statistical summary is pretty clear: Flamengo was the team with more possession, more shots, and better individual ratings, but Estudiantes managed to keep the match in a very even production band. The difference between 0.9 and 0.8 in goal-scoring chances explains why the draw was no surprise, and the tie ended up being decided on penalties after a game in which neither side could break the deadlock.
