Category World News

The Estadio Monumental in Lima on Saturday, the fifth Libertadores final between two Brazilian clubs in the last six seasons, was sealed by a second-half headed goal from Flamengo center-back Danilo.

With a win in the 2021 Libertadores final, Flamengo’s 2-1 victory reaffirms their 2-1 victory over Palmeiras, setting the Rio de Janeiro club on course for a hat-trick of triumphs in 2025.

Flamengo won the Brazilian Super Cup, and the team now only needs two points from their final two league games to win Brazil’s domestic championship.

With their third victory in the tournament since 2019, Flamengo moved third overall, three points clear of Argentina’s Estudiantes, three behind Independiente, a second-placed Argentinian club with seven titles.

Meanwhile, Vitor Roque’s spectacular shot that flew over the bar from point blank range in the 89th minute gave Palmeiras a veritable chance to equalize.

That was arguably Palmeiras’ best chance at a sparsely contested final, which featured 33 fouls and seven yellow cards distributed among the two teams.

With a 15th-minute high and wide strike from Bruno Henrique setting off the Palmeiras ranks, Flamengo had better chances after a scrappy opening half.

Flamengo continued to search for space down the flanks, and Samuel Lino threatened to break the deadlock by coming in from the left and flashing a shot wide.

However, after 30 minutes, the men in red and black were fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men after a melee that erupted when Palmeiras defender Bruno Fuchs brought down Flamengo star Giorgio de Arrascaeta. This was as good as it got for Flamengo in the first half.

Erick Pulgar, a Chilean international with Flamengo, flew in and kicked Fuchs out as the conflict erupted, but somehow managed to escape only with a yellow.

After half-time, Flamengo looked more dangerous as a team, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances.

Arrascaeta swung in a welcoming corner from the right to make the breakthrough on 67 minutes.

Embalo’s chief of staff, Califa Soares Cassama, confirmed to AP that the former leader was visiting Brazzaville, the country’s capital.

Embalo was in Brazzaville, according to unnamed Congolese government sources who spoke to AFP.

After a group of military officers announced they had “full control” of Guinea-Bissau ahead of the release of the preliminary presidential election results on Wednesday, Embalo sought refuge in neighboring Senegal.

The coup’s true motivations remain a mystery thanks to rumors and conspiracies, including that it was orchestrated with Embalo’s consent.

Regional leaders and the UN are urging Guinea-Bissau’s new military leaders to restore constitutional order and allow the electoral process to be completed. The coup has sparked a wave of international outcry.

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko addressed lawmakers on Friday, calling the events a “sham” in remarks.

Sonko stated, “We want the electoral process to continue.” The electoral commission must be able to select the winner, according to the statement.

Many of Guinea-Bissau’s new military leaders are close to Embalo, including Ilidio Vieira Te, the new prime minister, and General Horta Inta-A, who was appointed transitional president earlier this week.

Te previously served in Embalo’s administration as finance minister.

A 28-member government, the majority of whom are allies of the deposed president, was appointed by Inta-a on Saturday.

Separately, the country’s main opposition party, PAIGC, claimed in a statement that Bissau’s capital had been “illegally invaded by heavily armed militia groups.”

The party called the Guinea-Bissau raid “an attack on stability, democracy, and the rule of law” on Saturday.

Civil rights organizations criticized PAIGC’s decision to refuse to run for president in the election last Sunday, which drew criticism from the opposition.

Before the provisional vote results’ release, which had been scheduled for Thursday, both Embalo and his main rival, Fernando Dias, had declared victory.