Mengão Shows Superiority in Porto Alegre

Flamengo sealed their ticket to the Copa Libertadores Quarterfinals after a 2-0 win over Internacional at Beira-Rio Stadium. The team led by Filipe Luís, who already had a first-leg advantage with a 1-0 victory in Rio de Janeiro, closed out the series with goals from Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Pedro, without needing to showcase their full attacking power.

The game kicked off 20 minutes late due to the massive amount of confetti thrown onto the pitch by the home fans, forcing officials to clean several areas before play could begin. Once underway, the match was physical and scrappy, with Internacional pressing high early but quickly losing momentum.

The opener came in the 27th minute. After a strike by Samuel Lino and a poor rebound from goalkeeper Sergio Rochet, Gonzalo Plata connected with a header that found De Arrascaeta, who finished brilliantly to put the visitors ahead.

Internacional Knocked Out Without Scoring

In the second half, Internacional tried to fight back with long-range shots from Vitão and Ricardo Mathias, plus a close attempt from Colombian forward Rafael Santos Borré, who hit the post. Still, they failed to trouble Agustín Rossi and the solid Flamengo defense.

Flamengo, meanwhile, created several chances to extend their lead. Saúl Ñíguez nearly scored with a header that Rochet saved, while a goal from Bruno Henrique was ruled out by VAR for offside.

The decisive blow came in the 88th minute when Pedro tapped in a cross from Luiz Araújo, deflected slightly by Léo Pereira, to seal the 2-0 victory. With a 3-0 aggregate score, the Rio de Janeiro giants advance to face Estudiantes de La Plata in the next round.

Internacional, managed by Roger Machado, exited the tournament without scoring a single goal in the tie, underlining their current struggles.