Fluminense Vs Operário Ferroviário Ends 0-0, Maracanã Decides Quarterfinal Spot
Fluminense vs operário ferroviário goes to the Maracanã on Tuesday at 21:30 with everything still level after the first leg ended 0-0. The winner moves into the Copa do Brasil round of 16, and another draw would send the tie to penalties.
Maracanã Return Leg
The return leg arrives eight days after the teams met on April 23 at Estádio Germano Kruger in Ponta Grossa. That match produced no goals, which means the second meeting in Rio carries the full weight of knockout football without any aggregate cushion.
Fluminense enters this phase because clubs from Brazil's Série A join the Copa do Brasil in the fifth phase. Operário-PR had already worked through a longer path, advancing from the second phase after eliminating Betim, Capital-DF and Londrina before reaching this tie.
Zubeldia's Strongest Group
Luiz Zubeldia is expected to bring back his strongest lineup for the return leg. Fluminense's probable XI includes Fábio, Guga, IJemmes, Freytes, Guilherme Arana, Hércules, Nonato, Lucho Acosta, Savarino, Canobbio and John Kennedy, while Matheus Reis, Germán Cano and Martinelli are out.
Nonato's presence gives Fluminense another midfield option in a match where one clean chance can decide the round. The club arrives third in the Brasileirão with 27 points after a 2-2 home draw with Vitória, so the league form is decent even if the cup tie has stayed tight.
Operário-PR's Unbeaten Cup Run
Operário-PR has kept the tie alive through a solid Copa do Brasil run. Luizinho Lopes' side has three wins and one draw in four matches in the tournament and has not lost in the competition, even though it comes in after a 3-0 away loss to CRB that dropped it to eighth place in Série B with 12 points.
The visitors' probable lineup lists Vagner, Doka, Cuenú, Klaus, Moraes, Índio or Matheus Trindade, Vinicius Diniz, Boschilia, Berto, Pablo or Caio Dantas and Aylon, with Mingotti, Brenno and Zuluaga unavailable. Joao Vitor Gobi will referee the match, and Amazon Prime will carry it. One mistake at the Maracanã sends one team into the round of 16 and sends the other home.
