RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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📹 Flu beat Palmeiras, overcome Arias and refereeing row, win again
At the Maracanã, Fluminense beat Palmeiras 3-2 this Saturday (15), in the 23rd round of the 2026 Brasileirão.
Highlights coming up shortly
Despite being in the top four, both teams took the field under pressure because of their recent results this season.
Tricolor Carioca also saw Marcão return for his second debut as interim coach, after Argentine manager Luis Zubeldía was dismissed.
And the “new-manager effect” did give the hosts a boost, as they started the match better.
But Verdão were the ones to open the scoring, with captain and goal-scoring center-back Gustavo Gómez heading in from a corner.
📸 Wagner Meier - 2026 Getty Images
Fluminense were not shaken by the goal, but they did lose their early momentum.
However, late in the first half, after a good passing move, Canobbio crossed from the right and Hulk headed past Carlos Miguel to make it all square.
📸 Wagner Meier - 2026 Getty Images
The Laranjeiras Tricolor came back better after the break and produced their best football since the World Cup returned, with quick passing moves that pulled the São Paulo side apart.
But after Hulk and Paulo Henrique Ganso went off, Palmeiras started to feel comfortable on the pitch again.
In that scenario, late in the game, Verdão went back in front with a firm strike from Maurício, finishing inside the box after Flaco López’s flicked header.
But Fluminense showed character to equalize four minutes later, when Kevin Serna pounced on the rebound after Germán Cano’s header hit the post.
In stoppage time, Germán Cano showed why he will forever be a Tricolor top scorer and idol, glancing a header from close range into the back of the net.
🤬 Anger and resentment
In recent matches, the anger of Fluminense’s fans had been directed at then-coach Luis Zubeldía, the club’s general director Mário Bittencourt, and president Matheus Montenegro.
Against Palmeiras, however, the target was John Arias, who chose Verdão over Tricolor after leaving Wolverhampton in England.
Every time the Colombian touched the ball, the entire Maracanã booed and insulted the former Tricolor idol.
In fact, when he left the field in the second half after being substituted, John Arias heard the Maracanã sing, “Olê olê olê olá, Judas, Judas!”
😯 There was refereeing controversy too
Early in the second half, Fluminense players appealed for a penalty in a play where the ball appeared to hit right-back Giay’s arm.
Referee Anderson Daronco did not give the foul, and VAR did not call him over for an on-field review.
On social media,
🚦 How things stand
With the result, Palmeiras remain top of the league with 48 points, but they could see Flamengo, with two games in hand, cut the gap to three points by the end of the round.
Fluminense, meanwhile, won again after eight official matches and stayed in fourth place with 38 points.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
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