Latin America Sports Daily For Sunday, February 22, 2026

(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Cruz Azul ended Chivas' perfect start to Mexico's Clausura 2026 in dramatic fashion on Saturday night, rallying from an 81st-minute equaliser by ex-player Ángel Sepúlveda to win 2–1 through Charly Rodríguez's 84th-minute header in Puebla - cutting the gap at the top to just two points. In Brazil, São Paulo upset previously unbeaten Bragantino 2–1 away in the Paulistão quarterfinals, while Palmeiras demolished Capivariano 4–0 with a Vitor Roque brace and the debut of Colombian signing Jhon Arias. Argentina's Apertura continued its mid-season Saturday slate, and Liga MX's Jornada 7 produced five more results including Atlas's wild 3–2 comeback against Atlético de San Luis and Toluca's 3–0 demolition of Necaxa. With Sunday's blockbuster Carioca semifinals, remaining Paulistão quarterfinals, and 11 days until the World Baseball Classic's first pitch in Tokyo, this is your morning briefing from across the region.


Saturday Scoreboard - 21 February 2026
All results verified against official sources

Competition	Result	Note
Liga MX - Clausura J7	Cruz Azul 2–1 Chivas	G. Fernández 34', Sepúlveda 81', C. Rodríguez 84'; see Card 1
Liga MX - Clausura J7	Atlas 3–2 Atlético de San Luis	Comeback from 0–2; see Card 2
Liga MX - Clausura J7	Necaxa 0–3 Toluca	Paulinho brace (79', 83'), Pereira 90+4'; see Card 2
Liga MX - Clausura J7	León 2–1 Santos Laguna	Arcila 2', Cambindo pen 25'; Bullaude 40'; see Card 2
Liga MX - Clausura J7	Tijuana 1–1 Mazatlán	Castañeda 9'; Ovalle 60'
Paulistão - Quarterfinal	RB Bragantino 1–2 São Paulo	Bobadilla 39', Lucas 53'; G. Marques 72'; see Card 3
Paulistão - Quarterfinal	Palmeiras 4–0 Capivariano	V. Roque 6', 35', Andreas pen 91', Sosa 93'; see Card 4
Argentine LPF - Fecha 6	Platense 1–0 Barracas Central	See Card 5
Argentine LPF - Fecha 6	Ind. Rivadavia 3–2 Independiente	See Card 5

01 Liga MX - Cruz Azul End Chivas' Perfect Run with Dramatic Late Winner
Football



Chivas' six-match winning streak and perfect start to the Clausura 2026 came crashing down at Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, where Cruz Azul claimed a pulsating 2–1 victory in the headline match of Jornada 7. Uruguayan striker Gabriel "Toro" Fernández broke the deadlock in the 34th minute, rising to meet an Agustín Palavecino free kick and heading past Raúl Rangel for his latest goal of a prolific campaign. Chivas absorbed pressure in the second half before Gabriel Milito's substitutions paid off: former Cruz Azul man Ángel Sepúlveda headed home an equaliser in the 81st minute, sending the Chivas bench into ecstasy. But the celebrations lasted just three minutes. Palavecino whipped in a corner, and Charly Rodríguez - not known for his aerial ability - stole in to head the winner past Rangel, restoring Cruz Azul's lead at 2–1 and silencing the Guadalajara contingent. The result leaves Chivas still top on 18 points but now just two ahead of Cruz Azul on 16. Nicolás Larcamón's side have now won five of their last six meetings against the Rebaño, including the Liguilla elimination in the Apertura 2025.
UPDATED STANDINGS (TOP 5) 1. Chivas 18 pts (6W 0D 1L), 2. Cruz Azul 16 (5W 1D 1L), 3. Pachuca 16 (5W 1D 1L), 4. Toluca 15 (4W 3D 0L), 5. Pumas 13 (4W 1D 2L). Next: Chivas visit defending champions Toluca; Cruz Azul travel to Monterrey. Sunday still has Pumas vs Monterrey and Querétaro vs Juárez to close J7.





02 Liga MX Jornada 7 Wrap - Atlas Stage Wild Comeback, Toluca Crush Necaxa
Football



Beyond the Cruz Azul–Chivas headliner, Saturday's Liga MX action delivered drama across four other venues. At Estadio Jalisco, Atlas produced the comeback of the round, overturning a 2–0 deficit against Atlético de San Luis. Leading scorer João Pedro opened for San Luis inside three minutes before Eduardo Águila doubled the lead in the 41st minute. Atlas roared back: Diego González pulled one back in first-half stoppage time, Eduardo Aguirre equalised in the 59th minute, and Agustín Rodríguez completed the comeback with the winner in the 83rd. Toluca delivered the most emphatic performance of the weekend, demolishing Necaxa 3–0 away from home. Portuguese striker Paulinho scored twice in four minutes (79', 83') before Uruguayan defender Fede Pereira sealed the rout in stoppage time - the result lifting Toluca to 15 points, one behind leaders Chivas and level with Cruz Azul on wins. In Guanajuato, León beat bottom club Santos Laguna 2–1 thanks to Daniel Arcila's early deflected free kick and Díber Cambindo's 25th-minute VAR-confirmed penalty, with Ezequiel Bullaude's strike the lone bright spot for Santos. The day closed with Tijuana and Mazatlán sharing a 1–1 draw at Estadio Caliente - Kevin Castañeda's early opener for Xolos cancelled out by Josué Ovalle's second-half equaliser.
SCORING RACE João Pedro leads the Clausura golden boot with 7 goals despite San Luis's defeat. Armando González sits second on 5, while José Paradela and Paulinho are gaining ground on 4 each. Santos remain bottom with just 1 point from 7 matches.





03 Paulistão - São Paulo Stun Bragantino Away to Reach Semifinals
Football



São Paulo became the first club into the Paulistão 2026 semifinals with a composed 2–1 victory at Red Bull Bragantino's Estádio Cícero de Souza Marques. Hernán Crespo's side weathered early pressure from the previously unbeaten Massa Bruta - goalkeeper Rafael produced multiple outstanding saves, including a fingertip effort off Isidro Pitta's 33rd-minute shot that clipped the crossbar. Against the run of play, Damián Bobadilla pounced on a rebound from Lucas Ramon's cross-shot in the 39th minute to open the scoring. São Paulo doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half through a set-piece masterclass: Danielzinho's free kick found Luciano, who nodded across goal for Lucas Moura to finish from close range. Gustavo Marques gave Bragantino hope with a powerful header from a 72nd-minute corner, but Crespo's substitutions - including a debut for new signing Cauly - helped the Tricolor manage the closing stages despite Alan Franco's red card for a second bookable offence in the 91st minute. São Paulo now await the results of Sunday's remaining quarterfinals to learn their semifinal opponent.
SUNDAY'S QF MATCHES Novorizontino (1st) vs Santos (8th) at 4 PM in Novo Horizonte - Santos have Neymar available. Portuguesa (4th) vs Corinthians (5th) at 8:30 PM. Semifinals will be single-match affairs at the higher-seeded team's ground. The final is March 4 and 8 (two legs).





04 Paulistão - Vitor Roque Brace Powers Palmeiras Rout, Arias Makes Debut
Football



Palmeiras extended their remarkable Paulistão run - now 13 consecutive semifinals - with a comprehensive 4–0 dismantling of surprise package Capivariano at Arena Barueri in front of 21,531 fans. Vitor Roque set the tone with two first-half goals: the first a sharp finish after a deflected Flaco López cross in the 6th minute, the second a clinical first-time strike in the 35th from a Piquerez-Maurício combination. Abel Ferreira, returning from suspension, managed the second half conservatively before introducing Colombian mega-signing Jhon Arias - the most expensive transfer in Paulista football history - in the 75th minute for his debut. Arias immediately showed his quality, drawing a penalty in stoppage time when his trademark sharp turn left Capivariano defender Balão with no option but to bring him down. Andreas Pereira converted coolly from the spot for the third. Moments later, Paraguayan winger Ramón Sosa beat goalkeeper Guilherme Nogueira with a cheeky body feint before rolling into an empty net to complete the rout. Capivariano, appearing in the knockout stage for the first time in their history, depart with heads held high after securing a Série D place and Copa do Brasil berth for 2027.
CONTEXT Palmeiras are the only club to reach every Paulistão semifinal since 2014 and have contested the last six finals. Vitor Roque now has 4 goals in the competition. The semifinal opponents will be determined after Sunday's quarterfinals, with the best overall campaign earning home advantage.





05 Argentine LPF Fecha 6 - Saturday Wrap as Independiente Rivadavia Win Thriller
Football



Argentina's Apertura Fecha 6 continued its sprawling five-day schedule on Saturday with a packed slate. The standout result came from Mendoza, where Independiente Rivadavia produced a five-goal thriller to beat Independiente 3–2 in a dramatic Zona B clash. Platense ground out a 1–0 home win over Barracas Central in a tight Zona A encounter. Saturday also featured Banfield hosting Newell's Old Boys, Deportivo Riestra taking on Huracán, and Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero facing Tigre in the evening kickoff. The round had opened on Friday with several significant results already covered in yesterday's edition: Belgrano's 96th-minute penalty drama in a 1–1 draw with Defensa y Justicia, Estudiantes LP's 1–0 win over Sarmiento, Talleres' away victory at Rosario Central, and the goalless Boca–Racing clásico at La Bombonera that drew furious whistles from the Xeneize faithful. Sunday brings three more matches including the marquee Vélez vs River Plate showdown at Liniers.
SUNDAY FIXTURES San Lorenzo vs Estudiantes de Río Cuarto (5 PM), Vélez Sarsfield vs River Plate (7:15 PM), Unión vs Aldosivi (9:30 PM). Also pending: Argentinos Juniors vs Lanús (postponed - both clubs in continental action). Fecha 6 concludes midweek.





06 Recopa Sudamericana - Lanús Take 1–0 Lead to Maracanã for Decisive Return Leg
Football



Lanús hold the advantage heading into Thursday's Recopa Sudamericana second leg at the Maracanã after their 1–0 first-leg victory over Flamengo at Estadio Ciudad de Lanús on Thursday night. In a match that showcased Mauricio Pellegrino's tactical discipline, the 2025 Copa Sudamericana champions suffocated Flamengo's star-studded attack - Lucas Paquetá, Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Jorge Carrascal were all neutralised - while generating the lion's share of chances. Rodrigo Castillo, who had two earlier goals disallowed for offside, finally found the net in the 77th minute with a powerful header from Sasha Marcich's cross, sending La Fortaleza into raptures. Goalkeeper Nahuel Losada was outstanding, while Agustín Rossi - an Argentine in Flamengo's goal - had a quiet night. Flamengo will be expected to push hard for at least two goals at home on February 26. Filipe Luís's side have the firepower with Pedro, Everton, and the creative midfield trio, but Lanús showed they can execute a defensive plan at the highest level.
KEY STAT Lanús had 12 corner kicks to Flamengo's 3 and 17 shots to 9, dominating despite Flamengo's 65% possession. The 2025 Sudamericana champions are seeking their first Recopa title and fourth international trophy. The return leg is Thursday, February 26, 9:30 PM at the Maracanã.





07 Copa Libertadores - Return Legs Begin This Week Across Eight Second-Stage Ties
Football



The Copa Libertadores second stage return legs kick off this week with all eight ties in the balance. The first-leg results set up compelling second legs: Botafogo need to overturn Nacional Potosí's 1–0 win at altitude when they host the Bolivians at Nilton Santos (Feb 26); Bahia must reverse O'Higgins' 1–0 advantage from Chile (Feb 25); and Independiente Medellín carry a 2–1 lead to Liverpool of Uruguay (Feb 25). Sporting Cristal and 2 de Mayo drew 2–2 in Paraguay, meaning the return in Lima is wide open. Argentinos Juniors hold a slender 1–0 lead over Barcelona SC of Ecuador heading into the home leg (Feb 26) thanks to Diego Porcel's dramatic 91st-minute winner. Deportes Tolima carry their 1–0 first-leg win at Deportivo Táchira back to Colombia (Feb 27). Monday opens with Huachipato hosting Venezuelan club Carabobo (Feb 24) after losing the first leg 1–0 in Venezuela. The group stage draw is scheduled for March 18, with eight Brazilian clubs already confirmed for the main phase.
RETURN LEG SCHEDULE Mon Feb 24: Huachipato vs Carabobo. Tue Feb 25: Cristal vs 2 de Mayo, Medellín vs Liverpool, Bahia vs O'Higgins. Wed Feb 26: Botafogo vs Nac. Potosí, Argentinos vs Barcelona SC. Thu Feb 27: Tolima vs Táchira. Third-stage draw already locked in by CONMEBOL ranking.





08 Carioca Semifinals Begin Today - Vasco vs Fluminense, Flamengo vs Madureira
Football



The Campeonato Carioca reaches its semifinal stage today with both first legs scheduled in Rio de Janeiro. Vasco da Gama meet Fluminense at the Nilton Santos stadium at 6 PM (Brasília time), with the Cruzmaltino adjusting to life after Philippe Coutinho's departure - Colombian Jhojan Rojas is expected to fill the creative void. Fluminense, champions of the Taça Guanabara, arrive as favourites after a dominant first phase and will likely recall Samuel Xavier, Lucho Acosta, and Kevin Serna to the starting lineup. The second semifinal sees Flamengo host surprise package Madureira at the Maracanã at 8:30 PM. The Suburbano defied expectations by beating Boavista 2–1 in the quarterfinals, but now face a different proposition entirely against the defending champions. Unlike the single-match quarterfinals, both semifinals are two-legged affairs with return matches on March 1 (Fluminense vs Vasco at Maracanã) and March 2 (Madureira vs Flamengo at Maracanã). The final will be a single match.
HEAD-TO-HEAD Vasco hold a dominant record against Fluminense in knockout encounters since 2001 (9 wins vs 3 in 17 matches). Their last mata-mata was the Copa do Brasil semifinals in December 2025, which Vasco won on penalties. Madureira are the last non-Big Four club standing in the competition.





09 WBC Countdown - 11 Days to First Pitch, Winter Olympics Close in Milano Cortina
Baseball



With 11 days until the World Baseball Classic opens at Tokyo Dome on March 5, the final preparations are underway for nine Latin American teams competing across four pools. The Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Brazil will all fly their flags in what promises to be the most talent-rich WBC in history. Albert Pujols's Dominican squad features the deepest lineup in the tournament - Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Manny Machado leading a fearsome batting order with Sandy Alcantara and Brayan Bello anchoring the rotation. Venezuela counter with Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, and Yordan Alvarez. Meanwhile, today marks the closing ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. No Latin American nation won a winter medal, as expected, but the Games' conclusion shifts the global sports calendar firmly toward spring - and the WBC's March 5–17 window becomes the next major international event.
SCHEDULE Pool play: March 5–11. Quarterfinals: March 13–14. Semis: March 15–16. Final: March 17 at loanDepot Park, Miami. For the first time, the WBC will use a pitch clock (15 seconds bases empty, 18 with runners). The top two American teams qualify for baseball at the 2028 LA Olympics.





10 Looking Ahead - Sunday, February 22
Preview



CAMPEONATO CARIOCA - SEMIFINALS
First legs: Vasco vs Fluminense (6 PM, Nilton Santos). Flamengo vs Madureira (8:30 PM, Maracanã). Both ties are two-legged; return matches on March 1–2.


PAULISTÃO - QUARTERFINALS
Novorizontino vs Santos (4 PM) - Neymar available for Santos; first-placed Novorizontino host. Portuguesa vs Corinthians (8:30 PM) - the current champions enter as fifth seeds. Winners join São Paulo and Palmeiras in the semifinals.


LIGA MX - JORNADA 7 CLOSES
Pumas vs Monterrey (5 PM CT). Querétaro vs Juárez (7 PM CT). Both teams still chasing top-eight spots. Next week: J8 headlined by Toluca vs Chivas and Monterrey vs Cruz Azul.


ARGENTINE LPF - FECHA 6 CONTINUES
San Lorenzo vs Estudiantes de Río Cuarto (5 PM). Vélez Sarsfield vs River Plate (7:15 PM) - the day's marquee match as two title contenders collide at Liniers. Unión vs Aldosivi (9:30 PM). Fecha 6 wraps midweek.


RECOPA SUDAMERICANA
Return leg: Flamengo vs Lanús, Thursday February 26 at the Maracanã (9:30 PM). Lanús carry a 1–0 advantage. Countdown: 11 days to WBC first pitch in Tokyo.

All times are local unless noted. Check local listings.






End of briefing
Compiled by Oliver Mason - all results verified against official sources and wire reporting.

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