The Globe
Irineu's own goal and Souza's expulsion knock Fla out in the South
Team loses 1-0 to Grêmio, takes last place and board signals witch hunt
PORTO ALEGRE. The late Rio Grande do Sul coach Carlos Froner had a brilliant phrase to describe problems within his own team: "There's an enemy in the trenches." That's exactly what happened to Flamengo in yesterday's 1-0 loss to Grêmio at the Olímpico Stadium. Coach Ney Franco, who turns 41 today, was gifted with two setbacks: Souza's sending off in the first half and Irineu's regrettable own goal in the second.
Without a win in eight games, Flamengo remains on the same number of points and is now last in the Brazilian league. Despite the embarrassing position and the threat of a crisis (the walls of Gávea were graffitied after the loss to Paraná), the board assures that Ney is not at risk.
"Our position in the table is shameful, but nothing will happen to Ney. Tomorrow (today), we will meet to take a serious and strong position," said vice president of football Kleber Leite, who declined to confirm whether the measure would be terminating Souza's contract for indiscipline.
Souza's bad temper is nothing new at Flamengo
Is the coach to blame if his striker, who was the top scorer in the Brazilian Championship last year and hasn't scored a single goal this year, elbows an opponent in the 32nd minute of the first half, disqualifying them? This outburst, which helped bring down Flamengo, isn't new. Against Figueirense, Souza was sent off for kicking an opponent.
Last week, Souza argued with supervisor Isaías Tinoco and was fined for insulting his superior. In addition to the article under which he will be charged for elbowing Tcheco, Souza could also be charged with another aggravating circumstance: upon leaving the field, he assaulted Tcheco again, who was lying on the sidelines.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Flamengo held out bravely until the 18th minute of the second half. But no team can resist a foul in the six-yard box. Irineu attempted to backheel a cross from the right. But he missed. The ball hit his left leg and went into the corner. Down ten men and out of energy, Flamengo appears to have left its comeback for Wednesday, against América de Natal, in Juiz de Fora. This, indeed, is Ney Franco's decisive game, which could see Roger's debut.
"It's time we take responsibility for our mistakes. It's everyone's fault," said Renato Augusto.
Referee: Elvécio Zequetto (MS). Yellow cards: Checo, Tuta, Gavilán, Itaqui, Schiavi, Irineu and Thiago. Red card: Souza.
Fernando Calazans
The fake Flamengo
Three defenders, three defensive midfielders, no playmakers, one midfielder playing as a striker—and only one striker, by trade, and even then, a very poor one. This was the defensive structure, the lock of a small team, a small club, that took the field yesterday to face Grêmio in the Brazilian Championship. Everything written there is true, except for one thing.
The team and the club aren't small, or at least they weren't small. It wasn't Arimatéia or Deixa Que Eu Chuto. Before, it was Flamengo, the huge Flamengo. Today, it seems like a tiny team, a small club, afraid to take the field, to play, to win, to compete for the Brazilian title.
It was with this attitude that the fake Flamengo, not the great Flamengo of old, entered the match against Grêmio. Withdrawn, fearful, closed, and defensive, without a single attacking move, as they have been all this time. But what, ultimately, is the result of all this?
We can list a few results: Flamengo hasn't won in two months. Flamengo hasn't won in eight games. And, as if that weren't enough, Flamengo is currently bottom of the Brazilian Championship. Yes, it's the bottom of the table.
And did Grêmio have to play hard to defeat Flamengo 1-0? They didn't have to play hard at all. Coach Mano Menezes himself said he was "angry" with his team's performance. But who needs to play well to beat Flamengo?
The only, paltry goal of the match was scored by Flamengo defender Irineu—an own goal! Irineu kicked with one foot, the ball bounced off the other, and went in. Oh, I almost forgot: Irineu is a trusted man of coach Ney Franco. I imagine another trusted man of the coach and the board is striker Souza, who was sent off in the first half for shoving his arm in Tcheco's face. After receiving the red card, he walked over to his opponent, who was being treated on the ground, and slapped him again. The Sports Court can request the tape of both rude gestures by the bulky Flamengo striker—that is, the fake Flamengo.
Sports Journal
Irineu's own goal knocks Flamengo down in the South
Pedro Sá pedrosa@jsports.com.br
The referee tries to break up the fight between Flamengo and Grêmio players. The game was heated.
Thanks to an own goal from defender Irineu, Grêmio defeated Flamengo 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Olímpico Stadium. With the victory, the Rio Grande do Sul team moved up to 3rd place with 21 points. Flamengo continues its struggles, and with Náutico's victory over Corinthians, the red-and-black team is now bottom of the Brazilian Championship, with just 8 points.
The first half was marked by confusion and heated emotions among players on both teams. Flamengo surprised everyone by seizing the initiative and having two chances. One came from Leonardo Moura, who shot from a poor angle, but Argentine goalkeeper Saja palmed it away for a corner. The second time Flamengo ventured forward, Léo Medeiros crossed, and forward Souza headed the ball, which Saja grabbed in surprise.
From then on, there was a lot of confusion, pushing and shoving, and Souza's sending off, once again damaging Flamengo in a Brazilian Championship match. The striker elbowed the Czech midfielder and received a red card. Not to mention the lack of football, Grêmio supporter Carlos Eduardo threatened with shots from outside the box, but Bruno was alert. And that was only in the first half. There was a lot of fighting and no good football.
Grêmio started the second half at full steam, eager to do their homework, and just a minute into the match, Kelly hit a long-range shot that sailed wide of the red-and-black goal. The team from Rio Grande do Sul increasingly pressured coach Ney Franco's shrinking squad and scored in the 16th minute. After a corner kick, defender Irineu tried to clear the ball, but sent it into his own net.
The goal further weakened Ney Franco's team, which continued to make a series of errors while Grêmio's players took advantage of Flamengo's desperation. Flamengo's coach even brought on Obina and Leonardo, but neither could do anything. Renato Augusto had one last chance, but the defender sent his shot wide of the Grêmio goal. Grêmio emerged victorious without scoring.
Flamengo loses to Cruzeiro and is runner-up in the Macaé U-17 Cup
Flamengo lost the U-17 Macaé Cup final to Cruzeiro 2-1 on Sunday morning, finishing second in the competition. Flamengo had beaten Fluminense in the semifinals on Saturday.
The red-black under-17 team is led by coach Rogério Lourenço, former Flamengo defender in the 90s.
In the Taça BH, Flamengo's juniors defeated Fluminense 3-2. Goals were scored by Renan, Wellinton, and Vinícius Colombiano. Flamengo qualified for the quarterfinals of the competition and will face the winner of the São Bento vs. Bahia match.
Flamengo's youth team thrashed Miguel Couto this morning in Gávea. It was their seventh game in the State Championship and their seventh victory. Agnaldo scored twice and Luan Sérgio scored the other two. With the result, the team maintained its lead in the competition.
In the U-15 Brazil Cup, Flamengo drew 0-0 with Paraná in Maringá. Their next opponent will be Tokyo Verdy of Japan.
O Dia
Flamengo loses to Grêmio and is at the bottom of the Brasileirão
Striker Souza was sent off in the first half of the match
Rio Grande do Sul - In its dismal campaign in this year's Brazilian Championship, Flamengo wrote another bad chapter in the competition. The Rio de Janeiro team traveled to the Olympic Stadium and lost to Grêmio 1-0, with defender Irineu scoring an own goal after a ridiculous play.
With this result, plus the victories for Fluminense and São Paulo, Grêmio moves up to third place in the league with 21 points. Flamengo, meanwhile, has achieved the feat of occupying the bottom spot in the Brasileirão with 8 points. The afternoon was so bad for Flamengo that Náutico, previously bottom, traveled to São Paulo and beat the São Paulo team 3-0.
At no point did Flamengo threaten Grêmio's victory. To make matters worse, striker Souza clearly harmed the team by retaliating to a challenge from Grêmio supporter Tcheco. Upon receiving the red card, he walked over to his opponent, who was being treated off the field, and slapped him.
Even with an extra man, Grêmio's goal didn't come until the second half. In the 15th minute, Tcheco took a corner kick into the six-yard box. Irineu tried his best and scored an own goal: Irineu tried to clear the ball out of the box with his heel.
Without posing any threats, Flamengo held its own, and Grêmio pressed, but also without danger. However, the Rio de Janeiro team could have earned at least a point. Twenty-five minutes into the second half, the referee wrongly called Obina offside, as he was on the same line as the Grêmio defense. Even so, the striker managed to lose the ball challenge with the Grêmio goalkeeper.
In the next round of the competition, Flamengo will play against América, from Natal, while Grêmio will face Náutico, in Aflitos.
Sports Gazette
Grêmio wins and sends Flamengo to the bottom
Porto Alegre (RS) - Flamengo is the team that has played the least in this Brazilian Championship. Now, the team will have plenty of reasons to run in the remaining matches of the competition thanks to the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro. This Sunday afternoon, in the remainder of the 13th round, the Red-Black team was defeated 1-0 by Grêmio at the Olympic Stadium, and now sits last in the standings. Flamengo's crisis is evident in the numbers: the team hasn't won in eight rounds and, thanks to Náutico's victory over Corinthians at Morumbi Stadium, has moved into last place with just eight points, two behind the Pernambuco team.
The match in Porto Alegre was technically weak. With both teams having greater offensive inspiration, the goal could only have come from a set piece. And even then, with 'help.' In the 16th minute of the second half, Tcheco took a corner kick, and defender Irineu, in a moment of pure misfortune, deflected it first time into his own net, favoring Grêmio.
The victory leaves the Tricolor da Alzenha in a good position, temporarily in third place with 21 points. In the next round, the Gaúchos travel to the Northeast to face Náutico, in Aflitos. Also on Wednesday, Fla hosts América-RN, a perfect chance for a comeback, in Juiz de Fora.
On one side, Grêmio, looking to climb the standings. On the other, Flamengo, who started the round in second-to-last place and urgently needed to bounce back. If the match at the Olímpico was promising, fans must have been quite disappointed with what they saw on Sunday afternoon: two teams lacking motivation, inspiration, and creativity to attack.
Despite the setbacks, the start was actually quite deceptive. Just six minutes in, Léo Medeiros took a free kick to the far post, Patrício watched, and Souza appeared behind the defense to deflect it. Saja made a save, and the defense cleared the danger. The Gaucho response was immediate. In the 11th minute, Carlos Eduardo advanced unmarked down the left and tried a cross-shot, which Bruno palmed away.
These were the only clear-cut chances for either side in the first half. In the 15th minute, Anderson Pico easily beat his marker and shot from distance, but Bruno saved without any major problems. To make matters worse, Souza elbowed Tcheco in the mouth during a dispute for the ball and was sent off in the 33rd minute.
Lacking offensive prowess, coach Ney Franco had lined up the Red-Blacks in a 3-6-1 formation, Flamengo was left to hold on to defense. Mano Menezes had already called for more offense from his players, and the first sign that things wouldn't be easy for the Rio de Janeiro team came in the third minute, when Itaqui surged forward, fired a powerful shot, and saw the ball sail just wide of the post.
At 16, however, Flamengo's luck ran out. Tcheco sent a corner kick into the six-yard box, defender Irineu tried to clear it and ended up sending the ball into his own net, leaving Bruno with no chance to palm it away. The advantage on the scoreboard highlighted the lack of quality in the game. Flamengo still brought Obina on, but the idol could do little, visibly out of shape.
In the end, facing a tactically weak opponent, Grêmio had concrete chances to increase their lead. In the 35th minute, the diminutive Carlos Eduardo advanced unmarked and fired a powerful shot that went over the crossbar. In the 42nd minute, the forward again produced a beautiful play, dribbling past the entire red-and-black defense and finishing with a stylish, well-placed shot that Bruno palmed away.
Flamengo's speech is shameful after being placed on the bottom
Porto Alegre (RS) - Bottom of the Brazilian Championship after going eight games without a win in a row, Flamengo left the pitch at the Olímpico Stadium after a 1-0 loss to Grêmio with only one word in their speech: shame. The Rubro-Negro hadn't been in such a precarious position in the standings since 2002, with just eight points from ten games. "This is a joke. A team like this, put together with planning, with such a great fan base, is in this situation. It's cause for concern. As a Flamengo fan, I'm ashamed and can say that we'll work hard to get the club out of this situation. We need to be men in this situation," said midfielder Léo Medeiros.
The defeat in the South had the air of tragedy for Flamengo. Striker Souza will once again have to work under pressure from the fans. This Sunday, the player was sent off after elbowing Tcheco and will likely face a suspension from the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) for several games, having already been punished after receiving a red card in the 4-0 defeat to Figueirense. He hasn't scored a goal in almost two and a half months.
PeléNet
Despite Flamengo's crisis, Ney Franco adopts a carefree tone
With the loss to Grêmio this Sunday, Flamengo dropped to last place in the Brazilian Championship. Even with the team's difficult situation and his position at risk, coach Ney Franco doesn't seem too concerned about the team's performance.
Despite his players' poor performance and having gone more than two months without winning a match, the coach still managed to see positives. He believes the team may not have attacked much, but it managed to defend well. Flamengo conceded an own goal from defender Irineu.
"It was a balanced game. Even with one man down, we managed to contain Grêmio and created some chances, not many, but we did create them," said the coach, who also complained about the refereeing for the sending off of striker Souza:
"The sending off was unfair and I complained a lot about Tcheco refereeing the game in the first half; everything he called for was called. Although I didn't see the incident between Souza and Tcheco on TV, I know he let the play continue and stopped the game because the linesman called offside."
Ney Franco also avoided criticizing the red-and-black players. He believes the athletes have shown commitment on the field. However, the Gávea team hasn't had any luck scoring goals.
"There's no lack of desire, fight, or willingness from the players. Unfortunately, our balls aren't going in. We hope that changes on Wednesday," he said.
Despite his unconcerned statements, the coach also expressed discomfort with the team's last-place finish. Therefore, Ney Franco demanded a victory against América-RN, the team in third-to-last place.
"A team like Flamengo can't stay in this situation. We've already spoken with the players in the locker room. On Wednesday, we have a game against América-RN, an opponent that's right up there with us," said the Flamengo coach.
Flamengo players say they are ashamed and admit their guilt
"Shame," "take responsibility," "be a man." In this speech, Flamengo already knows exactly what it needs to do to escape the difficult situation it's in in the Brazilian Championship, where it sits in last place.
"This is a joke. With the team Flamengo has, the investment the board makes, we shouldn't be like this. I'm embarrassed and we have to get out of the relegation zone as quickly as possible. The pressure is huge and we have to be men in these times," said midfielder Léo Medeiros.
The harsh criticism from Flamengo's own players came after the team suffered yet another defeat in the Brasileirão, against Grêmio by 1-0, this Sunday, in Porto Alegre.
With the result, the red-black team is now bottom of the competition, with just eight points, being overtaken by Náutico and América-RN, who triumphed in the round.
"We didn't deserve the defeat, no. But it's everyone's fault and it's time for everyone to take responsibility so we can get out of this situation," said midfielder Renato Augusto.
The setback for Grêmio was the fourth for the Gávea team in the Brazilian Championship. In the national tournament, Flamengo won only one match, in the second round, on May 20, against Goiás (3-1).
The Rio de Janeiro club's next match will be this Wednesday against América-RN in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, at 20:30 p.m. Striker Souza, who was sent off against Grêmio, will be out of the squad.
Souza doesn't keep his promise and once again harms Fla
During the week, center forward Souza declared that he would break his two-and-a-half-month goal drought this Sunday against Grêmio. However, in the 34th minute of the first half at the Olímpico Stadium, the striker elbowed Tcheco and was sent off, in yet another poor performance.
The 1-0 loss in Porto Alegre was only the player's fifth game in the Brasileirão, out of ten played. The red card was his second in the competition, having also left the team with ten men down against Figueirense, in the 4-0 rout. At the time, he was tried and given a two-game suspension by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD).
The last time Souza had found the net was in the second leg of the Rio State Championship final, on May 6, when he opened the scoring, which ended in a 2-2 draw. In penalties, Fla won the title.
During his little over 30 minutes on the field this Sunday, the number 9 barely threatened the Grêmio defense. Also hampered by coach Ney Franco's 3-6-1 formation, which left him isolated up front, the player only threatened with an early header, which was saved by Saja.
With his red card, the center forward is a guaranteed absence for Wednesday's match against América-RN in Juiz de Fora. However, since he was sent off, he will still face mandatory trial at the Superior Court of Justice (STJD).
His first expulsion was for kicking a Figueirense player. Now, with his elbow on Gavilán, he's unlikely to escape punishment, especially since, while the Grêmio player was being treated off the field, Souza slapped him on the head, a scene captured on television cameras.
Grêmio wins, moves closer to the top and sends Flamengo to last place\ From the Newsroom\ In Porto Alegre\ Grêmio defeated Flamengo 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Olímpico Stadium, seizing the opportunity to move closer to the top of the Brazilian Championship table, playing at home. The Rio Grande do Sul club now has 21 points, advancing to the zone that leads to the 2008 Copa Libertadores. Flamengo, in turn, with just eight points from ten games, sinks into the relegation zone and takes last place.\
The Rio de Janeiro team surprised by entering the field with a 3-5-2 formation, which ended up complicating the home team's movement. Even so, after a tense start, with numerous fouls and heated arguments on the field, the Grêmio team secured victory in the second half—thanks to an own goal—and completed seven consecutive matches without defeat, which keeps them a contender for the season's title. The last time they lost was on June 16th, 2-0 to Cruzeiro, when they used reserves because they were still involved in the Copa Libertadores.
Flamengo, on the other hand, has yet another negative result, having gone eight rounds without a win. The last time they celebrated three points was on June 20th, when they beat Goiás 3-1 in Goiânia. Since then, they've recorded six draws and two losses.
In the next round, the red-and-black team will try to regain its winning ways, hosting América-RN. Grêmio will travel to Recife to face Náutico and continue its quest to reach the top of the table.
The game
Flamengo started the match better, not allowing Grêmio to impose itself and with quick counterattacks, causing some scares for the Grêmio goal. In the 7th minute, a cross from the right, Souza appeared behind the defenders, at the far post, and headed dangerously, forcing goalkeeper Saja into a sensational save, preventing the first goal.
The home side limited themselves to passing balls into the penalty area, with the advantage of Flamengo's defenders, who imposed themselves and cleared every ball. The game continued at this pace until the 29th minute, when the friction between the players, which had been limited to verbal abuse, escalated into physical violence.
After the referee called a foul, Grêmio midfielder Tcheco, in an attempt to speed up the play, slapped an opponent's hands to get the ball back. The pushing and shoving intensified and Anderson Pico, who was on the ground, was trampled by defender Thiago.
Tempers remained tense, and in the 33rd minute, as he advanced toward the Grêmio penalty area, center forward Souza elbowed Tcheco and was sent off, leaving his team ten men short. The incident sparked widespread complaints at halftime. "Tcheco is officiating the game; there's no way a referee could 'pop' like that," complained Flamengo coach Ney Franco, while Tcheco simply said, "Everything that happened is normal, because everyone wants to win."
Trying to capitalize on their numerical advantage, Grêmio coach Mano Menezes made his team more attacking, sending Itaqui and Kelly in place of William Thiego and Anderson Pico, respectively. But the team still couldn't find any openings to reach the opposing net and only attempted long-range shots, which posed no real threat.
The crowd gradually grew impatient and began to boo, but in the 16th minute, defender Irineu gave Grêmio a boost, sending the ball into the right corner of his own goal from a corner kick from the right. With no one to pressure him, he sent a low shot with his left foot, beating goalkeeper Bruno.
Shortly after making it 1-0, Irineu left the field. Ney Franco, even with ten men down, tried to rally by bringing on striker Obina, a name that had been chanted by the Flamengo fans at the Olympic Stadium since the first half.
Flamengo improved slightly, becoming more ambitious, but at the same time, their defense weakened, risking conceding a second Grêmio goal. Grêmio came very close in the 34th minute, when Tuta burst into the box from the left and fired a powerful shot, but it was right at the center of the goal, making Bruno's save easy.
And so, without any scares, the Gaucho team naturally confirmed the 1-0 that completely sank Ney Franco's team in the Brasileirão table.
BalloonSport
Flamengo fans approve of Roger
Rubro-negros point out in a poll that the player is a Rubro-negro and will bring joy
Roger trains hard to get in shape
The signing of midfielder Roger, formerly of Corinthians, was approved by Flamengo fans. In a poll conducted by GLOBOESPORTE.COM, approximately 53% of Flamengo fans supported the board's negotiations and believe the player will be successful because he is a fan of the club.
On the other hand, 35,25% prefer to wait and see how the athlete performs in his first matches for Flamengo. Only 11,12% don't trust the former Corinthians player. Roger signed a contract with the club until the end of the year.
The midfielder is being prepared to make his debut for Flamengo on August 5th, against Santos, at Vila Belmiro.
Flight delay delays Fla's return
The red-black delegation still doesn't know if it will leave Porto Alegre this Sunday
The Flamengo delegation will have trouble getting to Rio de Janeiro. The Flamengo team's flight, scheduled to depart Porto Alegre at 20 p.m., has no scheduled departure date. Therefore, there's a good chance the group will spend the night at their hotel. (Watch the video below with highlights from the match against Grêmio).
Flamengo's players will return to training this Monday at 15:30 p.m. in Gávea for a light training session. On Tuesday, the delegation will head to Juiz de Fora, the site of Wednesday's match against América-RN.
Ney Franco gets a reprieve
Coach remains in the position for the next two games of the Rubro-negro in the Brasileirão
Márcio Iannacca From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Rio de Janeiro
Coach Ney Franco, at least for now, remains in charge of Flamengo. According to a source at GLOBOESPORTE.COM, the coach has the next two games to begin the red-and-black team's recovery in the Brazilian Championship or he will step down due to the club's poor performance in the national tournament.
Flamengo's next two matches in the Brasileirão will be against América-RN, next Wednesday, in Juiz de Fora (MG), and against Corinthians, at Morumbi, on the 29th. Both opponents are also in the relegation zone and are fighting to earn points.
Ney Franco, however, says that the team has been playing well, but is lacking luck in the final results of the matches.
"Regarding the game, our team played well, but we couldn't get the result. At certain points in the match, Flamengo stopped Grêmio. We can't be in that position. It's up to the team to change this situation," said Ney, shortly after the 1-0 loss to Grêmio this Sunday.
Only a good sequence takes Fla out of the bottom
Rubro-negro needs three wins and opponents to stumble to breathe a sigh of relief
Flamengo needs a string of positive results to escape the relegation zone in the Brazilian Championship. With two games in hand over its direct rivals in the fight against relegation, the Rubro-Negro, in addition to wins, needs stumbles from Corinthians, Juventude, América-RN, and Náutico to breathe a sigh of relief, especially away from the bottom of the table.\ In the next two rounds, Flamengo will face América-RN in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, and Corinthians in São Paulo. Even winning both matches won't help the team escape the relegation zone.\
Currently, the Rubro-Negro team sits last in the Brazilian Championship with eight points. In ten games, the team has won one, drawn five, and lost four.
Roger will have an early debut
Ney Franco admits to fielding the new reinforcement in Wednesday's match in Juiz de Fora
Midfielder Roger could make his Flamengo debut in next Wednesday's match against América-RN in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais. The 1-0 loss to Grêmio this Sunday at the Olímpico Stadium will bring forward his first match for the red-and-black team.
Roger was signed from Corinthians and signed a contract with Flamengo until the end of the year. The player, who claims to be a Flamengo fan, will have the difficult task of starting coach Ney Franco's team's push to remain in the Brasileirão Série A. Currently, the team sits at the bottom of the table with just eight points.
Roger is working on his fitness at Gávea and is expected to travel with the delegation, which heads to Juiz de Fora next Tuesday. Besides him, Flamengo also signed Argentine striker Maxi Biancucchi and midfielder Ibson. However, both will only be available to Ney Franco starting in August.
Grêmio sends Flamengo to the bottom
Own goal by defender Irineu gives the Gaucho team a simple victory at the Olímpico
Alexandre Alliatti From GLOBOESPORTE.COM, in Porto Alegre
One to heaven, the other to hell. An own goal by defender Irineu sealed Grêmio's 1-0 victory over Flamengo this Sunday at the Olímpico Stadium. The result put the Rio Grande do Sul team in the Copa Libertadores qualifying zone and completely sunk the Rio de Janeiro team, who now sit at the bottom of the Brazilian Championship.
Watch the only goal of the match by clicking on the side. Both teams return to action on Wednesday. Grêmio replays the famous "Batalha dos Aflitos" against Náutico in Recife. Flamengo has a six-point game against América-RN in Rio de Janeiro.
Confusion and a little football
The first half had everything. For better or for worse. Flamengo surprised, taking the field with the aplomb of someone far from crisis. They didn't even seem like a persistent relegation zone dweller. In the first ten minutes, they exchanged passes, moved the ball around the attacking half, and dictated the pace of the match. There were two good chances for Flamengo. In the fifth minute, Leo Moura crossed from the right. Saja deflected it for a corner. In the seventh minute, Leo Medeiros crossed, the defense stood still, Patrício didn't clear, and Souza, at the far post, headed dangerously. The Grêmio goalkeeper made a great save.
Despite being hampered, Grêmio gradually managed to stabilize. Carlos Eduardo grew into the game. In the 11th minute, he made a beautiful run down the left wing and sent a shot toward the box. Tuta couldn't reach it. Five minutes later, the young Anderson, with his head bandaged due to a cut, beat two men and sent a shot into the box. Ramon couldn't reach it, Bruno cut it out, and Tcheco, on the rebound, tried to finish, but to no avail.
Souza elbows Tcheco and is sent off. It was a good game at the Olímpico, but then the players decided to put football aside. On a free kick for Grêmio, Flamengo tried to stall, delay the play. Tcheco got irritated and decided to win the ball by slapping. It was a push and chest-bashing match on one side, a slap and punch on the other. When the confusion ended, the referee, who was two meters away from the mess, decided to consult the assistant referee, five meters away. It was a bad result. Result: only a yellow card for Tcheco, another for Thiago.
If the fight was over, Souza was left to tell him. Then, the center forward put his arm in Tcheco's face. Street for him. At ten, Flamengo was forced to retreat. Grêmio went on the attack. Bruno made a stunning save on William's point-blank header. Carlos Eduardo, from distance, found the goalkeeper's corner. Almost.
Attack against defense
Cristian (right), marked by Gavilán, made his debut for Flamengo this Sunday
The numerical disadvantage forced the Rubro-Negro to abandon its attacking efforts in the second half. The Tricolor, with Kelly replacing Anderson, went on the attack. With long shots, they threatened Bruno's goal. Even so, they encountered difficulties. But that was okay: if Grêmio's attackers don't do it, Irineu finds a way. A corner kick cross, the defender tried to clear with his heel and sent the ball into his own net. Bizarre. And 1-0 to Grêmio.
Ney Franco lost his patience. The coach looked to the bench and saw hope there, who goes by the name of Obina. The striker came on for the poor Irineu, ironically applauded by the Grêmio fans. But he couldn't do anything. Although Flamengo fought for an equalizer, it was Grêmio, with dangerous counterattacks, that came closest to scoring.
Throw
Grêmio pushes Flamengo to the bottom
Rubro-Negro has gone eight games without a win and is stuck at eight points. Grêmio is among the leaders.
Fla loses to Grêmio and goes to the bottom (Credit: Ricardo Rímoli)
Hugo Perruso
Flamengo's ordeal seems to have no end. Flamengo went eight games without a win (five draws and three losses) after losing 1-0 to Grêmio, thanks to an own goal by Irineu. With the result, the Rio de Janeiro team sleeps at the bottom of the Brazilian Championship with eight points, and it could be a tough week for the squad. Meanwhile, the Rio Grande do Sul team went three games without a loss and jumped to the top of the standings with 21 points.
Coach Ney Franco surprised Mano Menezes. He introduced Cristian in place of Paulinho and used a 3-5-2 formation, with Renato Augusto up front alongside Souza. The Grêmio coach also used the same formation, but Tuta returned after a long injury. Ney's changes paid off, and the team played well early on.
The game started evenly, with both teams pushing forward but failing to create clear-cut scoring chances. Flamengo's best opportunity fell to Souza in the seventh minute. The striker capitalized on a cross from Léo Medeiros and only missed the target thanks to Saja's excellent save. The Gaúchos responded in the 23rd minute with a counterattack led by Carlos Eduardo, who found Tuta. The striker sent a cross-shot just wide of Bruno's post.
Grêmio grew into the game and began to dominate the midfield. Needing a win to avoid sinking deeper into the relegation zone, Flamengo displayed all of its nerves about its current situation through Thiago and Souza. The defender appeared out of control under Elvécio Zequetto's marking and was only spared a red card because the referee didn't want him to.
Souza wasn't so lucky. On a counterattack for Flamengo, the striker was losing possession and elbowed Tcheco. He received a deserved red card, and Souza was also cowardly in attacking Tcheco while the player was being treated off the field. If things were already complicated, they got worse. Flamengo lost their way and only avoided losing the first half because Grêmio failed to create a good play, and Carlos Eduardo's shot from outside the box went just wide.
As expected, Grêmio capitalized on their numerical superiority and came back pressing in the second half. Flamengo retreated and became dependent on Renato Augusto, who appears to have not yet returned from the U-20 World Cup, and their two wingers. Léo Moura and Juan were the most alert on the team, but they showed little for a 3-5-2 formation. A goal from Rio Grande do Sul was only a matter of time.
The pressure was intense, but Grêmio couldn't find a shot. If they couldn't do it on their own, the Gauchos relied on the red-and-blacks to help. In the 15th minute, Tcheco took a corner kick; the ball went past everyone, but not past Irineu, who scored a beautiful own goal with a backheel.
Flamengo's desperation grew, and the team tried to equalize. Disorganized, they couldn't create a good play and came closer to conceding a second goal than trying to score the first. Once again, Flamengo was overwhelmed by Grêmio's lack of play and accuracy.
From what both teams showed, the score ended up being a good size and, while the Gauchos celebrated the victory, the red-blacks will have a lot to explain when they return to Rio de Janeiro.
Léo Medeiros says he is embarrassed by the campaign
Player hopes the club's situation improves as quickly as possible\ LANCEPRESS!\
The 2-1 loss to Grêmio at the Olímpico Stadium left Flamengo bottom of the Brazilian Championship standings, with just eight points from nine games. The players know the situation isn't good, and Léo Medeiros spoke out at the end of Sunday's game. The midfielder expressed embarrassment and hopes the club's current situation will soon end.
"We have to be men. I'm ashamed. Even as a Flamengo fan, this situation makes me suffer even more. What we can do is try to get out of this as quickly as possible, starting with Wednesday's match," he vented.
Renato Augusto says it's everyone's fault
Flamengo player also thinks the result was unfair\ LANCEPRESS!\
At the end of the match, Renato Augusto didn't think Flamengo deserved to lose 1-0 to Grêmio at the Olímpico Stadium. For the fan, the team never gave up and only conceded a goal because of Irineu's unfortunate mistake.
"We fought, we played with ten men practically from the start of the game, and we ended up conceding an own goal. We didn't deserve to lose," he said.
When asked who was to blame for Flamengo's situation in the Brazilian league (last in the league, with eight points from ten games), Renato Augusto was emphatic in saying that there was not just one person to blame.
"It's everyone's fault: the players, the coaching staff, and the board. It's time for everyone to take responsibility to change this situation," the supporter added.
Ecuadorian says he will report to Flamengo
But Rubro-Negro, in fact, signed with a Colombian\ LANCEPRESS!\
Midfielder Edmundo Zura, 23, who is playing for Ecuador in the Pan American Games, revealed that he has been signed by Flamengo. The player scored two goals in Ecuador's 4-2 victory over Brazil and stated that, for now, his priority is the tournament semifinal against Bolivia:
"I'm looking forward to joining Flamengo. But right now I'm only thinking about the Pan-American Games," he declared.
However, Flamengo's vice president of football, Kléber Leite, said he was unaware of the negotiations with the player. Colombian Tréllez, however, will report to Flamengo after the U-17 World Cup in August.
Flamengo is runner-up in the Macaé U-17 Cup
Rubro-negro lost to Cruzeiro in the final\ LANCEPRESS!\
After beating Fluminense in a thrilling semifinal this Saturday, Flamengo was unable to resist Cruzeiro.
In this Sunday's match, in the final of the Macaé Under-17 Cup, Rubro-negro lost 2-1 to the Minas Gerais team and took second place.