Fluminense Held to 0-0 Draw by Independiente Rivadavia in Libertadores Round-of-16 Opener

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Fluminense and Independiente Rivadavia played to a 0-0 draw at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro in the first leg of their Copa Libertadores round-of-16 tie. The result leaves the aggregate score level heading into the return leg on August 18 at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza, Argentina.

Fluminense controlled the ball for long stretches but failed to convert at home against an opponent that had already beaten them at the same stadium during the group stage. For Luis Zubeldía’s side, the stalemate extended a winless run since returning from the 2026 Club World Cup break.

Editor’s note: This article draws on match data from BBC Sport and ESPN, and pre- and post-match reporting from Brazilian and international sports outlets, August 11, 2026.

Match at a glance

Detail	Information
Competition	CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores — Round of 16, first leg
Date	Tuesday, August 11, 2026
Venue	Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho (Maracanã), Rio de Janeiro
Kickoff	7:00 p.m. Brasília time (10:00 p.m. UTC)
Final score	Fluminense 0–0 Independiente Rivadavia
Aggregate	0–0 (second leg Aug. 18 in Mendoza)

Key match statistics

Stat	Fluminense	Independiente Rivadavia
Possession	74%	26%
Shots on target	3	3
Big chances	0	0
Corners	7	6
Passes	667	233
Pass accuracy	86%	67%
Duels won	51	39
Saves	4	3
Fouls committed	5	14

Fluminense monopolized possession and completed 576 accurate passes to Rivadavia’s 157, but both sides managed only three shots on target and created no big chances, according to ESPN match data.

How the tie reached the Maracanã

This was a rematch with recent history. In the 2026 Libertadores group stage, the clubs met twice:

Date	Venue	Result
April 16, 2026	Maracanã, Rio	Fluminense 1–2 Independiente Rivadavia
May 7, 2026	Mendoza, Argentina	Independiente Rivadavia 1–1 Fluminense

Alfredo Berti’s Rivadavia side topped the group with five wins and one draw, finishing ahead of Fluminense, who placed second. That group ranking carries a knockout consequence: because Fluminense had the weaker overall campaign, they will play the second leg away from home through the semifinals if they advance.

Rivadavia arrived in Rio on a strong continental run. Fluminense, by contrast, entered under domestic and continental pressure after a stretch of uneven results.

How the game unfolded

First half: Fluminense pressure, no breakthrough

Zubeldía restored several regular starters compared with Fluminense’s recent Brasileirão draw with Botafogo, bringing in Guga, Thiago Silva, Guilherme Arana, Hércules, Martinelli, and Hulk for a must-win home leg.

Fluminense settled into their usual territorial dominance. Guilherme Arana and Guga pushed forward from the full-back positions, while Hulk and Yeferson Soteldo looked to unlock Rivadavia’s low block.

Rivadavia had the earliest notable attempt when Matías Salas forced a save in the fourth minute. Lucas Costa tested Fluminense’s goalkeeper with a header from a corner around the 29th minute, but the hosts remained in control without finding the net.

Late in the half, Soteldo and Hulk both fired off target from promising positions, and Ignácio headed wide from a corner. The teams went into the interval level at 0-0.

Second half: Chances at both ends, still no goals

The pattern continued after the break. Ezequiel Bonifacio came closest for Rivadavia shortly after halftime, producing a shot from inside the area that was blocked after generating the tie’s highest expected-goals threat of the night, per ESPN’s shot data.

Fluminense responded with pressure of their own. Substitute Lucas Acosta had efforts saved in the 49th and 76th minutes, and Guilherme Arana saw another attempt blocked. Late introductions of PH Ganso, Germán Cano, and Jefferson Savarino added experience, but Ganso headed wide from a corner and Cano’s follow-up was blocked.

Rivadavia grew bolder on the counter in the closing stages. Gonzalo Rios, also off the bench, had a fast-break effort saved in the 86th minute before Savarino’s long-range attempt was gathered safely. Neither goalkeeper was beaten, and the referee’s final whistle confirmed a goalless draw.

What it means for both clubs

Fluminense: home advantage unused

A scoreless draw at the Maracanã is not the result Fluminense wanted. Zubeldía’s team has now gone six matches without a win since returning from the Club World Cup — five draws and one loss — and was recently eliminated from the Copa do Brasil by rivals Vasco da Gama (0-0 and 1-3 on aggregate).

Dominating possession without converting has become a recurring theme. Fluminense will need a result in Mendoza to keep their Libertadores campaign alive, and they cannot rely on a second-leg home tie until at least the semifinals.

Independiente Rivadavia: a useful away point

For Rivadavia, leaving Rio with a clean sheet and a level aggregate represents a solid first-leg outcome — especially given their 2-1 victory at the Maracanã in April. Berti’s side absorbed pressure, committed 14 fouls to disrupt Fluminense’s rhythm, and created enough on the break to keep the tie competitive.

The Mendoza return leg, scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, at the same 7:00 p.m. Brasília time kickoff, will decide who advances to the quarterfinals. The winner will face the victor of the Platense vs. Coquimbo Unido tie.

What’s next

Club	Next fixture	Competition
Fluminense	Sun., Aug. 17 — vs. Internacional (A)	Brasileirão Série A
Fluminense	Tue., Aug. 18 — at Independiente Rivadavia (A)	Libertadores round of 16, 2nd leg
Independiente Rivadavia	Tue., Aug. 18 — vs. Fluminense (H)	Libertadores round of 16, 2nd leg

The 2026 Copa Libertadores final is scheduled as a single match on November 28 at Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, Uruguay.

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Discussion

A goalless draw at the Maracanã keeps both sides alive in South America’s premier club competition — but the cost of failing to win at home may only become clear in Mendoza.

1. Fluminense had 74% possession and seven corners but scored zero goals. Was this poor finishing, or did Rivadavia’s defensive plan simply win the tactical battle?

Does Zubeldía need a different approach in the return leg, or was a draw the realistic outcome against a team that already beat Fluminense at the Maracanã?

2. Rivadavia leave Rio with a clean sheet and a level aggregate after topping the group ahead of Fluminense. Does the away draw give the Argentine side the edge heading into the second leg at home?

How much does Fluminense’s obligation to play every second leg away through the semifinals change the psychology of this tie?

Share where you think this Libertadores round-of-16 tie is headed — and whether Fluminense can break their winless run when it matters most.

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