Red and black team wins by the minimum score, reaches 78 points and wins the second cup in four days
Onão needed to make a lot of effort to defeat, 1-0, at Maracanã, and confirm, this Wednesday, their eighth title (1980, 1982, 1983, 1992, 2009, 2019, 2020 and 2025). The red-and-black team wins its second cup in a span of four days, first the Libertadores and now the Nacional, both against Palmeiras.
The result took Flamengo to 78 points, five more than Palmeiras, in second place. With just three more in play, the red-black team became unreachable. It was a Brasileirão with intense competition between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, who alternated in the lead a few times. The Gávea team took the lead at a crucial moment of the season, taking advantage of major mistakes from Palmeiras.
In this campaign, Flamengo scored 75 goals in 37 games and has the best attack. The best defense is also red and black, which was leaked only on 24 occasions. Arrascaeta was the big name of the Rio campaign, having scored 18 goals in the Brasileirão.
Just like throughout the season, Flamengo did not put on an excellent performance to leave the field with the victory. And this is a relevant fact, as it proves a superiority in the quality of the athletes that allows them to do enough to achieve victories on less brilliant days. It was like that against Palmeiras in the Libertadores final, and the scenario practically repeated itself against Ceará, who didn’t even kick a ball at the goal.
With the title won in advance, Flamengo should have the game against Mirassol, in the final round, scheduled for Saturday. This way, he will have more time to travel to Qatar, where he will compete in the Intercontinental. The first opponent is Cruz Azul, next Wednesday.
Flamengo started better, dominating the match and having more than 75% of ball possession. Clear goals, however, were scarce. Ceará tried some counterattacks, but failed in the quality of the shots.
Flamengo’s goal was a matter of time. After insisting so much, the red and black team took advantage of the first major flaw in Ceará’s defense to score. Samuel Lino received a pass in the penalty area and touched it to the goalkeeper. The ball went between Bruno Ferreira’s legs and found the net at Maracanã, at 37.
In the second half, Ceará needed to attack a little more. Flamengo remained more dangerous. The game was warm. The home team had some opportunities, but nothing that really scared them. The visitors, in turn, didn’t even shoot at goal, despite circling the area on some occasions.
FLAMENGO 1 x 0 CEARÁ
FLAMENGO: Rossi; Varela, Danilo, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Pulgar, Jorginho (De la Cruz) and Arrascaeta (Plata); Carrascal (Luiz Araújo), Bruno Henrique (Saúl Ñíguez) and Samuel Lino (Everton Cebolinha). Coach: Filipe Luís.
CEARÁ: Bruno Ferreira; Fabiano Souza (Marllon), Marcos Victor and Éder; Rafael Ramos, Diego (Lucas Mugni), Fernando Sobral (Lourenço) and Vinícius Zanocelo (Vina); Galeano, Pedro Raul and Paulo Baya (Fernandinho). Coach: Léo Condé.
GOAL: Samuel Lino, 37 minutes into the 1st half.
REFEREE: Rodrigo José Pereira de Lima (PE).
YELLOW CARDS: None.
AUDIENCE: 73,244 fans.
INCOME: R$4,950,770.00.
LOCATION: Maracanã, in Rio.
*With information from Estadão Conteúdo
