RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Giorgian De Arrascaeta scored a late goal on Thursday as defending champion Flamengo of Brazil drew 1-1 with Ecuador's Independiente del Valle to advance to the Copa Libertadores semifinals.
Djorkaeff Reasco put the Ecuadorian side ahead in the 31st minute, but De Arrascaeta equalized for Flamengo in the 83rd minute, securing the team’s spot in the next round with a 3-1 aggregate victory.
Click to Gallery
Emerson Royal of Brazil's Flamengo, left, and Emerson Pata of Ecuador's Independiente del Valle eye the ball during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Fans of Brazil's Flamengo cheer prior to a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Giorgian De Arrascaeta of Brazil's Flamengo, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's opening goal against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Giorgian De Arrascaeta of Brazil's Flamengo, left, scores his side's opening goal against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
“Mengão” — which played the final portion of the match with 10 men following Jorge Luiz Frello’s red card in the 65th minute — will face Argentina’s Estudiantes de La Plata, who pulled off an upset by defeating Corinthians on Wednesday.
Flamengo aims to become the first back-to-back Copa Libertadores champion since Palmeiras achieved the feat in 2020–21. The other semifinal will feature a matchup between Fluminense and Palmeiras.
Brazilian clubs are seeking to extend their recent dominance in the competition, having claimed the title for the past seven years. The last non-Brazilian team to win the tournament was Argentina’s River Plate in 2018.
The Copa Libertadores final takes place on Nov. 28 at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo, Uruguay.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
Emerson Royal of Brazil's Flamengo, left, and Emerson Pata of Ecuador's Independiente del Valle eye the ball during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Fans of Brazil's Flamengo cheer prior to a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Giorgian De Arrascaeta of Brazil's Flamengo, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's opening goal against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Giorgian De Arrascaeta of Brazil's Flamengo, left, scores his side's opening goal against Ecuador's Independiente del Valle during a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal second leg soccer match in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
NEW YORK (AP) — Mets first baseman Jared Young was carted off the field in the sixth inning of Thursday night’s 3-0 loss to Philadelphia after he was knocked out when struck on the head by a knee of pitcher Nolan McLean as the two converged on Justin Crawford’s slow grounder.
New York manager Andy Green said a CT scan at a hospital was negative. Young had concussion symptoms and full use of his extremities, according to Green.
“It was a terrifying moment on a baseball field,” Green said. “Took him a while to come to. It was a really scary collision.”
With the Phillies ahead 1-0, McLean broke to first on contact and Young initially moved back toward the bag. McLean briefly paused, at which point Young reached for the ball with his right hand as he tried to keep a foot on the base.
McLean resumed running. then collided with Young's head, tripping over the first baseman as Crawford crossed the bag. Young fell face first to the ground and was motionless.
“It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn’t with us in that moment,” Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said. “He was just somewhere else.”
Green and an athletic trainer immediately ran out from the dugout, and a cart was summoned.
McLean put his hands on his knees and bent down as all the Mets on the field gathered near Young. Catcher Francisco Alvarez appeared to be praying and members of both teams looked on from the dugouts. Philadelphia's Alec Bohm took a knee next to third base.
When Young came to, Green said the first baseman asked: “What happened?”
Young was immobilized on the cart and flashed a thumbs up before the cart disappeared behind the left-center field fence.
“He's had a CT scan. Results have come back negative," Green said. “So in that sense it’s very positive. Still experiencing real concussion symptoms right now but has full use of his extremities and feels at this point in time like we’ve avoided the scariest outcomes.”
Young, a 31-year-old in his first full big league season, has established himself as a regular first baseman by hitting .266 with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games. He missed six weeks with a left knee injury.
McLean was shaken by the collision. He remained in the game and threw a called third strike past Garrett Stubbs, ending the inning.
“Probably should have made a better decision not even letting him get the next hitter but he was still strong enough to do it and got back out there and did it,” Green said. “I think the humanity hit him pretty hard right there.”
McLean was removed by Green for reliever Tobias Myers at the start of the seventh.
“Still was willing to go back out the next inning. Didn’t feel that was in his best interest at that point in time," Green said.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Players looks on as New York Mets first baseman Jared Young is helped bye medical personnel after colliding with pitcher Nolan McLean during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young gives a thumbs up as he is brought off the field on a stretcher after colliding with pitcher Nolan McLean during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young is brought off the field on a stretcher after colliding with pitcher Nolan McLean during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets first baseman Jared Young is brought off the field on a stretcher after colliding with pitcher Nolan McLean during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean, top, collides with first baseman Jared Young as they chase a ball during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
