Without stepping on the accelerator, flamingos beat this Tuesday 1-0 at Corinthianswho did not show signs of life in the Maracana, and stood in the semifinals of Libertadores Cupafter 0-2 achieved in the first leg.
In the classic between two great Brazilian soccer teams, the Rio de Janeiro team applied the law of least effort and, without looking too hard, got the win thanks to Pedro’s goal at the beginning of the second half (m 52).
Flamengo look more like the team that stunned the continent in 2019 under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus. On the bench today is a Brazilian coach experienced in a thousand matches: Dorival Júnior. Since taking over in June, the Rio team has once again lost momentum and continues to dream of a repeat of last year’s brutal final loss to Palmeiras.
Tonight ‘Gabigol’ did not score -almost-, but Pedro, who has already scored eight goals, is now the top scorer in this edition of the Libertadores; and the class of Uruguayan midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta has re-emerged.
Flamengo, who are nine games unbeaten, will fight for a place in the final against an Argentine team. Vélez Sarsfield and Talleres, the candidates.
Corinthians, sluggish at the Maracana, ended up a man down after sending off Uruguayan Bruno Méndez in the 68th minute and could have gone away harshly had it not been for Cássio’s saves. The Portuguese Vitor Pereira came home with alarming statistics. They haven’t won a Libertadores away game in four years.
Flamengo saved their efforts very well. The 0-2 first leg gave him a comfortable cushion to face the clash stress-free. Although almost by inertia, he became the owner of the ball.
With De Arrascaeta scoring heavily, Everton Ribeiro took the reins of the red and black team from the start with an unexpected ally, Rodinei, moving unchallenged down the right flank. Corinthians soon lost, after a few good first minutes from attacker Adson.
On the day he turned 34, Willian showed very little in the temple of Rio de Janeiro. Perhaps it was because he was closing his eyes from his discomfort; perhaps because of the rumors that brought him back to English football.
The team of Pereira did not take advantage of the excessive relaxation of the locals and, in addition, they encountered an extraordinary David Luiz, who cut off all the enemy attacks.
He had to risk the Sao Paulo team in the second half and he did. But as he began to harass Santos’ area, De Arrascaeta started from the left, got his head up and slipped a sumptuous pass with the outside of his boot to Pedro, who stretched as far as he could to open the scoring.
With Corinthians groggy, Cássio avoided 2-0 with a great save from ‘Gabigol’s’ shot, who received another good service from De Arrascaeta.
To further complicate matters, the Sao Paulo team was down from the 68th minute after a dismissal, ordered by VAR, to Méndez, who blocked the ball with his hand when Pedro headed in place alone.
From then on, Flamengo, pushed by the fans, pushed the wind in their favor and Dorival Júnior gave a few minutes to the less common, with them Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal, the luxurious reinforcement for the last stage of the season. The Rio team did not end up scoring only because of Cássio, who held on as much as he could in a Corinthians that left the Libertadores at the back door.
DATA SHEET
1 – Flamingos: saints; Rodinei (m.83, Matheuzinho), David Luiz, Léo Pereira, Filipe Luís; Thiago Maia (m.75, Arturo Vidal), João Gomes (m.83, Diego), Giorgian De Arrascaeta; Everton Ribeiro (m.83, Victor Hugo), Gabriel Barbosa and Pedro (m.86, Éverton Cebolinha)
Trainer: Dorival Junior
0 – Corinthians: Cassio; Fagner, Bruno Mendez, Raul Gustavo, Fabio Santos; Du Queiroz, Fausto Vera (m.45, Renato Augusto), Roni (m.60, Giuliano); Adson (m.71, Fabián Balbuena), Yuri Alberto (m.59, Róger Guedes) and Willian (m.84, Gustavo Mosquito)
Coach: Vitor Pereira
Purpose: 1-0, Pedro (d. 52)
Referee: Uruguayan Esteban Ostojich advises Léo Pereira, Raul Gustavo and dismisses Bruno Méndez (m.68)
Incidents: second leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores, played at the Maracaná stadium, in Rio de Janeiro
Source: La Verdad
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