The tie drawn in normal time, the extra time suffered and the penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain were experienced as an emotional rollercoaster by Flamengo fans who followed the Intercontinental Cup decision in bars, streets and events throughout Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday night (17).
With an optional point decreed from noon onwards by the state government and city halls, including that of the capital of Rio de Janeiro, the city got into the final mood early. In Baixo Gávea, a traditional stronghold of Flamengo fans in the south zone, the public fought for space in front of the screens, often watching standing up, squeezed between tables.
Nervousness set the tone from the first minutes. At nine, goalkeeper Rossi’s mistake almost resulted in a goal for PSG, and the net scored by Fabián Ruiz caused silence followed by an explosion of relief when the VAR canceled the shot. The reaction was so intense that it looked like a Flamengo goal. “That’s where we believed it would happen,” said administrator Lucas Menezes, 32, who was watching the game with friends in a local bar.
The first red and black finish, a weak shot by Pulgar, was celebrated as a sign of reaction, but Kvaratskhelia’s goal, in the 38th minute of the first half, brought apprehension. Even so, the draw in the second half, with Jorginho converting the penalty conceded by Arrascaeta, provoked hugs between strangers, raised glasses and shouts that spread through the streets near the bars.
In extra time, every tackle, every throw in favor of Flamengo was celebrated as if it were a goal. The feeling, shared unanimously, was that the historic 1981 title could finally gain a new chapter. “We felt it was possible. Any ball recovered became a reason to celebrate,” said student Rafael Almeida, 24.
The penalty shootout, however, brought a heavy silence, broken by prayers, hands on the face and teary eyes. With each save by goalkeeper Safonov, the tension increased. In the end, with four red-and-black kicks wasted, many fans were crying in front of the screens.
Despite the frustration, the predominant feeling after the final whistle was pride. “We played on equal terms, we made a team of this size suffer. We didn’t win, but we are victorious for getting here and fighting until the last second”, said professor Mariano Coutinho, 41, after the end of the match.
Another fan summed up the atmosphere of the match: “I’m in love with my team. It was an incredible year. I’m sad now, but proud of everything we experienced”, said designer Ana Paula Ribeiro, 29.
