Vinicius Moreira de Lima scored a crucial goal off the bench in the second half, leading Fluminense to a 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal. Moreira de Lima, a substitute for Matheus Martinelli in the 64th minute, netted the winning goal with a header from a cross by Marcos Da Silva in the 87th minute. The match took place at Maracana stadium, with the second leg scheduled in Belo Horizonte next Wednesday.

The winner of this series will face either Colo Colo from Chile or River Plate in the next round. River Plate currently leads their quarterfinal matchup 1-0. Fluminense, the reigning champions who secured their first title in 2023, extended Brazil’s dominance in the Copa Libertadores, following victories by Flamengo in 2019 and 2022, and Palmeiras in 2020 and 2021.

Meanwhile, other quarterfinal matchups include Sao Paulo against Botafogo and Flamengo taking on Peñarol in what promises to be an exciting stage of the competition. The quarterfinals feature top teams vying for a spot in the next round as the intensity and drama of the Copa Libertadores continue to captivate football fans worldwide.