The last finalist of the 2026 edition of the Campeonato Carioca will be known this Sunday (1st). Starting at 6pm (Brasília time), Fluminense and Vasco will compete, at Maracanã, in the second leg of the State semifinals clash. The duel in Rio de Janeiro will be broadcast live on National Radio.
The advantage is on the Tricolor side, due to the 1-0 victory at the Nilton Santos Stadium, also in the capital of Rio, a week ago. With striker Kevin Serna’s goal, in the 31st minute of the first half, the Laranjeiras team can qualify if they win again or even in the event of a draw. A new triumph, in fact, would be Flu’s 17th consecutive victory as home team, a historic record for the club, surpassing a sequence achieved in the 1940s.
Work continues at CT Carlos Castilho! Two days left until the semifinals!
📸: Lucas Merçon/FFC pic.twitter.com/xd6PoUV0kW
— Fluminense FC (@FluminenseFC) February 27, 2026
Cruzmaltino, in turn, must win by two or more goals in normal time to advance to the decision. If you win by a goal difference and equalize the aggregate score, the decision for a place in the final will be on penalties.
It is the tenth time in the century that the Giants’ Classic decides a place in the final, whether national or state. The record is favorable to Vasco, who won on six occasions, the last of which was in December, in the Copa do Brasil, when they advanced on penalties. Fluminense has not eliminated its rival in a semi-final since Carioca in 2017.
The moment is favorable to Tricolor, which has the most positive campaign in the State and has made a better start to the Brazilian Championship, played simultaneously with Carioca. Despite the 2-1 defeat to Palmeiras last Thursday (26), at Allianz Parque, in São Paulo, the team led by Luís Zubeldia is fifth in the national competition.
Gigante da Colina – led on an interim basis by Bruno Lazaroni since the dismissal of Fernando Diniz – is at the bottom of the Brasileirão. The Cruzmaltina team is coming off a 2-1 defeat at Vila Belmiro, in Santos (SP), against the home team.
The Vasco squad trained at CT Moacyr Barbosa, under the command of interim coach Bruno Lazaroni, aiming for the week’s commitments for Brasileirão and Carioca 🫡💢
📸 Matheus Lima | #VascoDaGama pic.twitter.com/qOyUDS5tlP
— Vasco da Gama (@VascodaGama) February 23, 2026
Regarding the first game, Zubeldia will not have midfielder Facundo Bernal, who was sent off. In comparison with the match against Palmeiras, striker Agustín Canobbio, who was suspended in the Brasileirão, can again be mentioned. The expectation is that Fluminense will play with: Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Juan Freytes, Jemmes and Renê; Hércules (Otávio), Martinelli and Lucho Acosta; Kevin Serna, Agustín Canobbio and John Kennedy.
At Vasco, midfielder Thiago Mendes, who did not participate in the previous semi-final game due to knee pain, played against Santos and should start. Full-back Cuiabano, rested in the classic, debuted for Cruzmaltino in the Brasileirão and will be an option again for Lucas Piton. A likely lineup will have: Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Alan Saldivia, Robert Renan and Lucas Piton; Cauan Barros, Thiago Mendes and Johan Rojas; Nuno Moreira, Andrés Gómez and Claudio Spinelli.
