Fluminense Aims to Seal the Tie Against América in Rio

Fluminense will host América de Cali at the Maracanã in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16, according to Infobae. The Brazilian side holds the edge after winning 2-1 in Cali, a result that leaves the Colombian club needing a major comeback in one of the toughest venues on the continent.

Coach Diego Raimondi’s squad must score at least twice and keep a clean sheet to advance. Any draw would send Renato Portaluppi’s men to the quarterfinals. The aggregate stands 2-1 for Fluminense, a lead that places América in a difficult spot, compounded by its poor record in Brazil. The team has not won there in Conmebol competitions since 1993, when it defeated Flamengo in the Libertadores group stage.

América’s overall record in Brazil is bleak: just two wins in history, against Flamengo and Santos, along with six draws and thirteen losses. Its most recent trip produced a 1-1 draw against Corinthians earlier in this Sudamericana campaign.

Fluminense, on the other hand, arrives with momentum. On August 16 the Rio club beat Fortaleza 2-1 at home, with goals from Germán Cano and Agustín Canobbio. That match was also historic, as goalkeeper Fábio tied English legend Peter Shilton for the most official appearances in football history, reaching 1,390. If he plays against América, Fábio will stand alone with 1,391 matches, surpassing Shilton as well as Cristiano Ronaldo, Rogério Ceni and František Plánička. He is expected to start, having featured in Fluminense’s last 18 competitive games.