Flamengo 0-0 Estudiantes (2-3 pens): Muslera's penalty heroics seal spot in Copa Libertadores final

Fernando Muslera saved three penalties to help Estudiantes overcome a second-half red card and beat defending champions Flamengo to reach the Copa Libertadores final. 

After goalless draws across both legs of the semi-final, Muslera brilliantly saved Jorginho, Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Henrique's attempts to seal a 3-2 triumph in the shoot-out. 

Estudiantes, who saw Baltasar Rodriguez sent off in the 50th minute for a second yellow card, will now face Palmeiras in the final at the Centenario Stadium on November 28. 

Both teams started brightly in their quest to take an early lead, with Estudiantes defenders Santiago Nunez and Marcos Rojo forcing Agustin Rossi into making two smart stops. 

The first half petered out, but it burst into life five minutes after the restart when Rodriguez was sent off for a second bookable offence for a needless challenge on Jorginho. 

His dismissal allowed Flamengo to control from there, but efforts from Paqueta were comfortably held by Muslera, with penalties deciding who would reach the showpiece match.

Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Jose Sosa got their sides off to the perfect start in the shoot-out, with Jorginho the first to blink as his stuttering run-up failed to fool Muslera. 

Edwuin Cetre could not make Estudiantes' advantage count, but Paqueta was also denied from 12 yards out, with Muslera diving to his right to deny the Brazilian. 

Eros Mancuso, Leo Pereira and Tiago Palacios all scored to keep the shootout going, but Muslera proved to be the hero as he dived to the same side and thwarted Henrique's effort, sparking wild scenes among the Estudiantes supporters at the Maracana. 

Magic Muslera puts woeful World Cup behind him

At this summer's World Cup, Muslera came out of retirement to represent Uruguay in the finals, but it proved to be a tournament to forget. He became the first goalkeeper on record since 1966 to commit three errors leading to goals in a single edition of FIFA's flagship competition.

In Uruguay's final group match, a 1-0 defeat to Spain, Alex Baena's shot squirmed through his grasp and Muslera was replaced by Sergio Rochet at half-time as the nation made a goalkeeper substitution in a World Cup match for the first time since substitutions were introduced at the tournament in 1970. 

Muslera subsequently announced his second retirement from international football, but that will be a distant memory after his performance here, as he ensured Estudiantes' spot in the Copa Libertadores final for the first time since 2009. 

Estudiantes will now aim to break a seven-year streak of consecutive tournament victories by Brazilian teams in South America's premier club competition, with the last non-Brazilian club to lift the trophy being Argentina's River Plate in 2018.

But even after having a man sent off, Estudiantes were only just edged out in the expected goals (xG) battle, registering a total of 0.79 from their eight attempts to Flamengo's 0.86 from their 13 attempts, with both teams having three shots on target.