Vinicius Moreira de Lima Leads Fluminense to Victory in Copa Libertadores Quarterfinal

Vinicius Moreira de Lima came off the bench to score the decisive goal in Fluminense's 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal. The match took place at Maracana Stadium, with the second leg set for Belo Horizonte next Wednesday.

Vinicius Moreira de Lima made a significant impact after coming off the bench, securing Fluminense's 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal.

Entering as a substitute for Matheus Martinelli in the 64th minute, Moreira de Lima scored the crucial goal in the 87th minute with a header from a cross by Marcos Da Silva.

The match was held at Maracana Stadium, and the second leg is scheduled for next Wednesday in Belo Horizonte. The winner of this series will face either Chile's Colo Colo or River Plate, with the latter holding a 1-0 lead in their quarterfinal matchup.

Fluminense won their first Copa Libertadores title in 2023, securing Brazil's fifth consecutive win in the tournament. Other recent tournament winners include Flamengo in 2019 and 2022, and Palmeiras in 2020 and 2021.

In other quarterfinal matches, Sao Paulo held Botafogo to a goalless draw in Rio de Janeiro. Sao Paulo, who hasn't reached the final four since 2016, is undefeated at home this tournament and will host the second leg next Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Flamengo is set to face Peñarol in another quarterfinal match on Thursday.

(With inputs from agencies.)