Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — Fluminense secured a 2-1 victory over Flamengo in a physical Rio de Janeiro derby at Estadio do Maracanã on Wednesday, November 19, 2025. First-half goals from Lucho Acosta and Kevin Serna proved sufficient despite Jorginho's late penalty for the visitors in a match that produced seven yellow cards.
Fluminense seized control through Acosta's precision in the 25th minute. The Argentine midfielder collected Hércules' pass and unleashed a right-footed strike from outside the box that nestled into the top right corner, giving the hosts a deserved 1-0 lead. Their tactical approach focused on compact defensive shape while maintaining attacking fluidity through the central corridors, forcing Flamengo wide where they struggled to create clear chances.
The advantage doubled in the 33rd minute when Kevin Serna finished from close range, capitalizing on Fluminense's ability to penetrate Flamengo's backline. The Colombian forward's positioning proved decisive as Fluminense controlled the opening 45 minutes. Flamengo's frustration mounted, with Saúl Ñíguez booked in the 17th minute and Erick Pulgar cautioned in first-half stoppage time.
Flamengo responded at halftime, introducing Juninho and Danilo for Luiz Araújo and João Victor to provide midfield stability and attacking reinforcement. The substitutions raised the intensity, with both Acosta and Everaldo receiving yellow cards following a 59th-minute confrontation. Fluminense suffered a blow when injury forced Acosta's replacement by Nonato in the 62nd minute.
The closing stages saw Flamengo increase offensive pressure. Fluminense made another injury-forced change in the 72nd minute, John Kennedy replacing Everaldo. Gonzalo Plata entered for Bruno Henrique in the 79th minute to add pace, and the match grew increasingly physical with Renê booked in the 84th minute for handball.
Flamengo finally broke through in the 85th minute when Jorginho converted a penalty after Renê's handball, making it 2-1. Fluminense responded defensively, bringing on Ignácio for Serna in the 89th minute. Late yellow cards to Ayrton Lucas and Samuel Xavier reflected the derby's competitive edge, but Fluminense held firm to claim three points.
The victory strengthens Fluminense's league position while Flamengo must regroup after failing to capitalize on late pressure in this hard-fought derby.