Palmeiras cemented its status on Wednesday as the most dominant team in the 2025 Copa Libertadores group stage after a commanding 6-0 victory over Sporting Cristal of Peru, wrapping up a flawless campaign with six wins in six matches. Already qualified since the previous matchday, the Brazilian side kept their intensity high, finishing Group G with the maximum 18 points.

Led by Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira, the team once again showcased its offensive power and tactical discipline. The star of the night was Argentine forward José Manuel 'Flaco' López, who netted twice, but rising talent Estêvão also shined with a goal and an assist in what was his farewell appearance at the Allianz Parque before joining Chelsea.

Palmeiras signs off group stage with an attacking masterclass

From the opening whistle, Palmeiras took full control of the match. Within the first ten minutes, they had already tested the Peruvian defense multiple times through efforts from Mauricio, Estêvão, López, and Rafael Veiga, forcing the visiting goalkeeper into several key saves.

The resistance of Sporting Cristal broke in the 32nd minute when Estêvão opened the scoring with a stunning left-footed strike into the bottom corner. After that, it was a one-sided affair: López doubled the lead in the 39th minute with a clever chip and added another just before halftime with a powerful finish, making it 3-0.

In the second half, Veiga (64’) and Paulinho (71’) continued the onslaught, before Fernando Torres completed the rout in the 80th minute. The Peruvian defense was completely overwhelmed and had no answers to Palmeiras' relentless attack.

With this result, Cerro Porteño advanced to the round of 16 as group runners-up with 7 points, while Bolívar, third with 6 points, will enter the playoff stage. Sporting Cristal, bottom with just 1 point, exited the tournament winless.

In addition to securing qualification, Palmeiras earned the advantage of playing the return legs at home in the knockout rounds, positioning themselves as one of the top contenders for the title. The team enters the decisive phase of the competition with an unstoppable rhythm, a high-performing squad, and sky-high confidence.