Fluminense beat Palmeiras 3:2 at the Maracanã Stadium in the Brazilian Serie A on Friday evening. The hosts took all three points from the Regular Season meeting, though the result came after a closing surge that kept the visitors guessing until the final whistle.
Gustavo Gómez opened the scoring for Palmeiras in the tenth minute before Hulk equalised for Fluminense just before half-time. Mauricio put the hosts ahead in the eighty-second minute, but K. Serna restored parity for the visitors five minutes later. Gabriel Cano then struck twice in stoppage time — first at ninety minutes and again two minutes later — to rescue the point for Fluminense.
Palmeiras were reduced to ten men after Joaquín Piquerez's dismissal on the hour mark, and the numerical disadvantage shaped the second half. J. Piquerez was replaced by Vitor Roque at the interval, while Fluminense brought on Igor Rabello in the fifty-fourth minute. PH Ganso and Hulk were withdrawn together in the sixty-ninth, with Hugo replacing the veteran forward.
Fluminense dominated possession at sixty per cent and created more clear-cut chances, but Palmeiras matched them in shots on target with six each. The hosts registered eight shots off target against the visitors' six, while expected goals figures — 2.18 for Fluminense, 1.1 for Palmeiras — reflected the quality of opportunities rather than the final tally.
The result moves Fluminense to fourth on twenty-six points, level on points with Palmeiras but behind on goal difference. The visitors remain in second after twenty-six matches, with five points separating the sides at the top of the table.