The Globe
Fla stays in the G4 with the help of another red-black
The team is defeated 3-1 by Cruzeiro, drops from third to fifth place in the Brazilian Championship, but returns to the Libertadores zone benefiting from Sport's victory over Palmeiras.
Photo caption: BEFORE THE MATCH, the red-black players wear a shirt with the phrase 'Mengão is five-time champion'
BELO HORIZONTE. Flamengo was defeated by Cruzeiro 3-1 and is now a five-time champion. The team missed the chance to equal the 1982 team's record of six games unbeaten in the Brazilian Championship. They stopped in their fifth. Wearing shirts emblazoned with the phrase "Mengão is five-time champion," the players took the field and sent a message to São Paulo, which had claimed to be the first team to win five titles. With the loss, the team had dropped from 3rd to 4th place, out of the Libertadores bracket. But they returned to the top four thanks to Sporting's 3-1 victory over Palmeiras. Cruzeiro ended a seven-game winless streak.
Kerlon uses the seal's dribble to get past Obina
In the first half, Cruzeiro played alone. They managed eight shots, compared to just one for Cruzeiro. Just nine minutes in, Jonathan hit the crossbar. In the 13th minute, Guilherme passed to Roni, who sent a crossbar shot just wide of the post.
Only in the 19th minute did Obina head a cross into the box. With more pressure, Cruzeiro continued to attack. In the 25th minute, former Cruzeiro player Roni was brought down in the box by Juan. He took the penalty himself and opened the scoring.
The Jonathan-Roni duo were inspired. On Flamengo's vulnerable left flank, the full-back got past Thiago Sales and passed to Roni. The striker fired a shot with his toe, and the ball grazed Jaílton before going in: 2-0.
At halftime, coach Joel Santana recognized Cruzeiro's superiority:
- We didn't play, we just watched them play. I'm going to change.
And it changed. The coach returned with Roger in place of Juan and Renato Augusto in place of Maxi. The team attempted a comeback. In the first ten minutes, they had three shots on goal. Cruzeiro, on the other hand, scored their third with their first shot of the second half. In the 12th minute, Charles, from outside the box, unleashed a rocket that Bruno couldn't defend.
Flamengo wasn't far behind in terms of beautiful goals, and they even solved the problem of the team's lack of free kick takers. In the 21st minute, Roger stylishly hit a free kick over the wall, into Fábio's corner.
The score was 3-1, but there was still time for Kerlon to pull off a seal dribble. In the 37th minute, the forward lifted the ball from the sidelines and headed it past Obina, who recovered and managed to block the Cruzeiro player's shot.
Yellow cards: Juan, Emerson, Wagner, Roger.
MISSING GAMES: Santos (c), Atlético-PR (c) and Náutico (f)
FLAMENGO
BRUNO: Safe, he wasn't to blame for Cruzeiro's goals. 6.
LEONARDO MOURA: He wasn't having a good day. He was easily neutralized by the marking and didn't even remotely resemble the good player he was in other rounds. 4.
FÁBIO LUCIANO: Poorly positioned, he left spaces in defense. 4.
THIAGO SALES: He was given a disconcerting dribble by Jonathas, which led to Roni's second goal. 4.
JUAN: Bad, he was substituted at halftime after Joel Santana said the team was vulnerable in his area. 3,5. ROGER: He came on and scored a beautiful free kick, something that hadn't happened for Flamengo in a long time. If he's free of pain, he could start in the next few games. 7.
JAÍLTON: He failed to mark and had the misfortune of being in the way and deflecting the ball on Roni's second goal. 3,5.
CRISTIAN: Inattentive, he also performed poorly in marking and had a bureaucratic performance. 4. He left for the entry of LÉO MEDEIROS, who improved the marking. 5.
IBSON: Another player who performed poorly. Along with Leo Moura, he's the team's driving force. Yesterday, he failed at practically everything he tried. 4.
TORO: He showed willingness and fought hard, fighting in the midfield and trying to take the team forward. 6.
MAXI: While he was on the field, he didn't even take a shot on goal. He didn't even display his traditional determination and determination. 3,5. He was replaced at halftime by RENATO AUGUSTO, who gave the team more energy and, alongside Roger, tried to lead the team forward, especially in the first minutes of the second half. 6.
OBINA: Missing for most of the game. He was heavily marked, had no chances, but fought back and risked a shot from distance. In the end, he was dribbled by Kerlon's seal, but recovered. 5.
JOEL SANTANA: Flamengo was apathetic at the start. They tried to correct their mistakes and made the right decision by bringing on Roger and Renato Augusto. If the team had played with the same enthusiasm as in the second half, the result could have been different. 5.
CRUZEIRO
Roni led the team with an impeccable performance and scored two goals. Jonathan capitalized on the space on the left flank and provided an assist for Roni. Charles also stood out, scoring a beautiful goal.
ARBITRATION
Héber Roberto Lopes failed to call Fábio Luciano's penalty on Guilherme in the first half. He was right to call a penalty on Roni.
Ancelmo Gois
Penta is the shit!
São Paulo, the deserved champion, says it is "the only five-time champion".
But the FIFA website states that São Paulo "have equaled Brazil's most popular club, Flamengo, with five trophies in national titles." Check it out at http://es.fifa.com/worldfootball/clubfootball/news/newsid=626579.html\ sao+paulo+campeon+quinta.\
Fernando Calazans
Lose-win
Please reread the title above. It's the title of the column, this one specifically, but it could be the title of all the ongoing Brazilian Championship columns—except one: the one about São Paulo, of course. But let's face it, São Paulo competed in a different championship, its own, particular one, for which no other club qualified. The others did well.
They avoided challenging São Paulo. They didn't even threaten them. At least they were sensible, cautious. Above all, they were realistic. Those other teams are poor, insignificant, and expendable.
Just look: Flamengo, which was showing signs of overcoming and heroism, was beaten 3-1 by Cruzeiro, which could have been worse if Cruzeiro, given how easy it was, hadn't naturally settled down after going 3-0 up.
And what kind of Cruzeiro is this? That's the question. It's the same Cruzeiro, the very same Cruzeiro, that suffered an even bigger beating from Botafogo midweek: 4-1. That's right. Two of the contenders for a Copa Libertadores spot, Cruzeiro and Flamengo, each suffered a memorable beating in five days.
And what about Botafogo, the star of Cruzeiro's show, who yesterday drew ridiculously with the last-placed team, the relegated América de Natal?
And what about Grêmio, another contender, who, in two consecutive rounds, in these same five days, lost to Atlético Paranaense and Figueirense?
And what about Santos, who, at home, drew with the team that was in twelfth place, Atlético Mineiro?
And Palmeiras, my friends, what can we say about Palmeiras, who, in just four days, lost to Juventude and Sport? Oh, how many people speak highly of Palmeiras, huh!
But I'm already prepared. When one of these teams—three or four—qualifies for the Copa Libertadores, someone will say to me or write to me: "See, you were talking about Cruzeiro (or Flamengo, or Palmeiras, or...) and they're there in the Libertadores. See, you football illiterate?"
I know, I know, and you can be right too: three or four clubs will have to qualify for the Libertadores, alongside São Paulo and Fluminense. No matter which ones. There's no way around it, it's the rules. Whether the best or the worst, they'll have to qualify. Whether they've won the most or lost the fewest.
But they are all teams from the Win-Lose Championship: Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Santos, Grêmio, Palmeiras, Botafogo... and the rest, the rest with even fewer votes.
That's why I say it over and over again: Grêmio fans, only Grêmio fans, have the blessed right to think Grêmio has a soccer team, and even think that soccer team is good. Only Flamengo fans have the right to think Flamengo has a soccer team. And so do Palmeiras, Santos, Cruzeiro fans...
There are two categories, however, that cannot be fooled: football managers and football critics. The latter must see football with their heads, not their hearts. And critics, above all, must be concerned with presenting reality—not illusion.
If I was ever fooled by Flamengo's valiant comeback, for example, I was wrong. Yesterday at Mineirão Stadium, the team was a mess, not making a single play in the first half, not even taking a single shot on goal. A Flamengo team whose four midfielders, only one, knows how to play football: Íbson.
Joel Santana was slow to change a team that couldn't string together a single ball outing and in which Juan was nothing short of a complete disaster. And who would have been beaten even worse had it not been for Fábio Luciano, the only one who survived.
Sports Journal
Roger considered the defeat acceptable.
After a melancholic first half, coach Joel Santana decided to bring on Roger and Renato Augusto in place of Juan and Maxi, respectively. Although they failed to change the outcome of the match, which had already been decided in the first half, the players gave the team a new look, making it more focused and facing its opponent on equal terms.
As in the match against Corinthians, Roger only needed half a minute to find the net. The midfielder showed his skill with a free kick and scored the team's consolation goal. Still on the field, he commented on Flamengo's upcoming matches in the competition, against Santos and Atlético-PR, both at Maracanã.
"Our expectation is to host our next opponents at home and quickly decide our qualification. These are two games that will determine our future. The defeat here is acceptable. There's no need to despair. Cruzeiro is a great team and wants a place in the Libertadores too," said the midfielder.
Midfielder Renato Augusto agrees with Roger regarding the opponent's greatness. However, he wasn't so resigned to the defeat. He believes the red-and-black team's lack of determination in the first half was a determining factor in the defeat at Mineirão.
"Cruzeiro is a good team. But in the first half, we started with a very poor attitude. A team that wants to enter the Libertadores can't be like that. In the second half, we improved, but it was too late," criticized Renato.
Clamor for recognition of the fifth
The red-blacks entered the field with shirts alluding to the Brazilian penta
Few dispute that Flamengo has won five Brazilian titles, but the saga of the five-time champion trophy continues and doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. Following the club's greatest idol, Zico, FIFA, the 1987 top athletes, and the fans, it was the turn of this year's entire team to express their dissatisfaction with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF)'s failure to officially recognize the Copa União title, won in 1987 by the Gávea club. In yesterday's 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro at Mineirão Stadium, the Flamengo players took the field wearing shirts alluding to the victory, with the phrase "Mengão is five-time champion" emblazoned on their uniforms.
The club's board of directors took the initiative to use the jerseys, and they only reached the players at the last minute. The directors claim that in 1987, the Brazilian Championship was organized by the Clube dos 13, and the CBF changed the rules midway through the competition. The Confederation wanted Flamengo and Internacional, finalists in the blue module (first division), to play in a final four-legged tie with Guarani and Sport, finalists in the yellow module (second division).
Now, Flamengo is fighting for the right to receive the trophy, which could end up going to São Paulo, who this year was national champion for the fifth time, after defeating América-RN, at Morumbi, 3-0, last Wednesday.
Burning the last fats
Joel says Flamengo can no longer afford to be careless in securing a place in the Libertadores
Nathan de Lima and Tiago da Costa\s\
Facing Cruzeiro's Wagner, Flamengo's playmaker Ibson is brought down by midfielder Ramires: Flamengo played very badly and lost
The mood in Flamengo's locker room after yesterday's 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro in the 35th round of the Brazilian Championship was one of pure disappointment. Besides virtually guaranteeing a spot in next year's Copa Libertadores, a victory at Mineirão would equal the six-game winning streak achieved by the Rubro-Negro in 1978 and 82 (in the latter, they won the Brazilian championship with a great team formed by Zico & Co.). Coach Joel Santana was not pleased with his players' performance.
"The team lacked balance. There's a saying in football that says we can burn fat. We burned the last few. Now, we have to win six points at home and then decide who will qualify in Pernambuco," said the coach after the game.
Like the rest of the team, midfielder Ibson, one of the main drivers of Flamengo's rise in the championship, was unable to replicate the strong performance he had in recent rounds. While still on the field, he analyzed the game.
"Now we have to be able to absorb this negative result. We conceded two goals in the first half, when we were playing very poorly. We came back better in the second half, but ended up conceding the third. Then it got complicated," he commented.
Next Sunday, against Santos at Maracanã, coach Joel Santana will be able to count on striker Souza, who returns after serving a suspension for a third yellow card. Defender Ronaldo Angelim, who was ruled out for yesterday's match, will be monitored throughout the week and may also return.
Total failure at Mineirão
Rubro-Negro does not repeat the last good performances and is easy prey for Raposa
Nathan de Lima
Playmaker Toró was unable to gain an advantage over Cruzeiro's midfield
The results were helping; all that was missing was Flamengo doing its job. But the red-and-black team played very poorly, especially in the first half, and ended up losing to Cruzeiro 3-1 yesterday at Mineirão Stadium. Flamengo fans who went to the stadium were hoping to see Obina score, but instead saw a great performance from Roni, who scored twice. The other goal for the Fox was scored by Charles. Roger, with a free kick, pulled one back.
Just like in the match against Corinthians, Flamengo started playing very poorly and from the beginning was dominated by Cruzeiro who took the initiative and played the ball well.
With Juan completely surrounded by Mariano, the Gávea team played deep and ended up conceding two goals from the right flank. In the first, Roni was brought down by Juan in the box, and the referee awarded a penalty. He took the penalty himself, opening the scoring in the 26th minute. Twelve minutes later, Ramires made a beautiful play and passed it to Roni, who finished with a toe kick, to extend the lead.
Late reaction
In the second half, Flamengo came back stronger, with Joel Santana's substitutions paying off. Roger, who replaced Juan, and Renato Augusto, who replaced Maxi, came on well. But Charles hit a long-range shot to make it three.
Roger even scored Fla's first free kick goal in the Brasileirão, in the 21st minute, but it was to no avail.
Fla returns to the G-4, after Palmeiras' defeat
With Palmeiras' 3-1 defeat at Ilha do Retiro, Flamengo returned to the top four. Flamengo and Alviverde have 4 points and the same number of wins. However, Flamengo has the advantage in the third tiebreaker, as it has a one-goal lead over Alviverde.
With this, Fla is in fourth place in the Brazilian Championship, behind São Paulo, Santos and Cruzeiro.
In the next round, the team from Gávea faces Santos at 16 p.m. at Maracanã. Palmeiras doesn't play until the 14th, against Fluminense, at Parque Antártica.
Flamengo has a tough challenge ahead: Iguaçu
Flamengo's point guard Hélio commands the team with style on the court and is confirmed for today's match against Iguaçu
After a blistering start to the second half of the season, Flamengo is preparing to face Nova Iguaçu. The match, which is part of the State Basketball Championship, will be held today at 20 p.m. at the IBC Gymnasium in Nova Iguaçu.
In the first clash between the two teams, the red-black team won by a 24-point advantage, 98 to 74. As the match was on the 30th, winger Marcelinho believes that the opponents' style of play is still in the memory of his teammates.
"We just played against them, their positioning and their plays are still fresh," explained the captain of the Rio team, who highlighted Nova Iguaçu's strength playing at home.
"They are dangerous, we know that, especially at home. We know that Flamengo is the favorite, but we have to go in focused to leave there with the victory."
If they win, Flamengo will be the only undefeated team (seven matches, seven wins) in a competition that features teams from other states competing in the State Championship through partnerships. This doesn't surprise coach Paulo Chupeta, who credits his team's strong performance to the club's management's efforts to combine a strong structure with strong players.
“We can still improve throughout the competition,” said the coach.
NBA — The Utah Jazz nearly blew a 23-point lead, but rallied in the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors at home in Saturday's NBA Finals by 133-110. The Utah team made 12 three-pointers, setting a new team record.
José Antonio Gerheim
Free pass
Red-black solidarity
José Antonio Gerheim gerheim@jsports.com.br
Flamengo in the first half of Mineirão was once again the same team from the beginning of the Brazilian Championship, while Cruzeiro, which was coming off a 4-1 defeat to Botafogo, which had been called a popcorn team by its fans, unhappy with the seven-game winless streak, seemed to have woken up from a long sleep, running around the field like a hungry fox thirsty for revenge.
The 2-0 in the first half was not enough to explain the dominance that the blue team had of the game, facing an unrecognizable, apathetic opponent, missing pass after pass, losing all the duels, letting Roni lie down and roll, distributing the ball, passing the ball around, suffering and taking penalties well, shooting unmarked with his toe, in short, playing everything that is always expected of him, due to his talent, but that was hidden somewhere in Toca da Raposa.
But Joel, during the break, once again managed to make the right changes to the most ailing parts of his machine. A move by someone who knows the group he's in charge of better than anyone, and it was precise when he replaced Juan and Maxi, swapping them for Roger and Renato Augusto.
Granted, they conceded a third goal, an unexpected but accurate shot from Charles, but Flamengo was a different team in the second half. Roger not only improved his creative play, but also scored a beautiful free kick. The team risked conceding a counterattack, especially when Kerlon, with his speed and his famous seal dribble, entered Cruzeiro. But they had a different approach, could have scored another goal, and with the thrashing that their Recife-based team, Sport, inflicted on Palmeiras, they continue to rely solely on themselves to secure a Libertadores spot.
O Dia
Flamengo: It was bad, but it could have been worse
Fla loses to Cruzeiro, but remains in the Libertadores zone thanks to Palmeiras' defeat
BELO HORIZONTE - Cruzeiro players were given popcorn by the fans in protest during the week, but yesterday they preferred a different dish: they devoured Flamengo at Mineirão, breaking a seven-game winless streak. For the red-and-blacks, the 3-1 defeat was bittersweet. The team dropped from third to fourth place in the Brasileirão and, had it not been for Palmeiras' loss to Sport, would have been out of the Libertadores qualifying zone.
Before the match, Flamengo's players wore the "Mengão is five-time champion" jersey, but once the ball was in play, the old, well-worn feud with São Paulo took a back seat. After all, there was a much more important and current battle on the field: in the ninth minute, Jonathan accidentally hit the post while attempting to deliver a cross from the left.
Flamengo's suffering began in the 26th minute, when their former player Roni was brought down in the box by Juan, who was having a bad day. He took the penalty himself, giving Cruzeiro the lead.
RONI INCREASES
And, confirming the Minas Gerais team's total dominance, Roni had another chance in the 29th minute, when he cleared the ball and shot wide. But he wouldn't miss the opportunity to score the second in the 38th minute, after a play by Jonathan in the confusing box.
Unable to activate forwards Maxi and Obina, Flamengo, so apathetic, only managed its first shot on goal in the 41st minute: a header from defender Thiago Salles, over the crossbar.
Irritated by the team's disorganization, particularly on the left flank, coach Joel Santana replaced Juan with Roger and Maxi with Renato Augusto at halftime. The team managed to move the ball better, but any chance of a comeback ended in the 13th minute when Charles fired a shot from distance, scoring Cruzeiro's third goal.
It was from a set piece that Flamengo finally managed to close the gap. In the 21st minute, Íbson was brought down, and Roger fired a beautiful free kick over the wall. It was Flamengo's consolation goal.
SEAL DRIBBLE
The game remained tepid and controlled, with only a timid display from Kerlon, who had replaced Wagner, in the 25th minute of the second half. Breaking toward the box, the youngster lifted the ball to his head and performed a seal-like dribble past Obina. But he would be dispossessed shortly afterward by the Flamengo striker himself.
'It all went wrong'
Palmeiras' 3-1 loss to Sport kept Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores qualifying zone next year. Even so, coach Joel Santana couldn't hide his irritation after Cruzeiro snapped its five-game winning streak in the Brasileirão.
"Everything went wrong for Flamengo. We played very poorly, and I include myself in that," the coach lamented, taking some of the blame for the team's stumble at Mineirão. Joel believes that if they want a place in the Libertadores, the team will have to fight for the nine points that will be up for grabs in the remaining rounds of the Brazilian Championship.
"We lacked balance. There's a saying that we can burn some fat. Flamengo burned the last of it. Now, we have to earn six points at home and then decide who's up there in Pernambuco," said the red-and-black coach, who will face Santos and Atlético-PR at Maracanã, and Náutico at Estádio dos Aflitos.
For Íbson, it's crucial to remain calm at such a special moment. Flamengo has gone from euphoria to disappointment, but it still has a chance.
"We need to be calm to absorb this negative result. We knew Cruzeiro was in a difficult situation and that they would be a very tough opponent. And we were pressing when we conceded the third goal," said the supporter, highlighting the team's improvement in the second half.
Sports Gazette
Fla returns to the G-4, but the team recognizes weakness in BH
Belo Horizonte (MG) - The round ended up being positive for Flamengo, which, thanks to Palmeiras' 3-1 loss to Sport, regained fourth place due to tiebreaker criteria and is in the qualifying zone for the next Copa Libertadores. Mengão and Verdão have the same 55 points and number of wins (15), but the Rio de Janeiro team has the advantage in goal difference (4 to 3). Before finishing the match in Recife, however, the Flamengo squad acknowledged that the team played below expectations in the 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro this afternoon at Mineirão. Coach Joel Santana was the first to vent about the setback.
"Everything went wrong for Flamengo. We need to maintain balance. We're in the mix (fight for a spot), and today we burned off the fat we had. If we get these six points at home, we'll be in a position to challenge Náutico for our spot. For now, nothing is lost, and we'll have a week of work to get the team into the shape we want to see at Maracanã," he said.
Flamengo's final stretch includes a clash with Santos on Sunday at the World's Biggest Stadium. The team also faces Atlético-PR (home) and Náutico (away). For midfielder Ibson, the direct clash with Santos and the opportunity to play another home game could be beneficial.
"We need to stay calm right now. There's no point in getting desperate. We need to absorb this defeat, return to Rio calmly, and focus on the remaining matches of the Brazilian Championship, since we want the Libertadores," the player added.
Having been sidelined for five games due to injury, midfielder Renato Augusto returned to the team this Sunday, coming on in the second half, and also expressed disapproval of Flamengo's performance. The player avoided making a personal assessment and held his teammates accountable for their place in the Copa Libertadores.
"There's no point in talking about myself now. I may have played well, but we need to think about the team. It was a very bad loss for the team; we didn't have good posture on the field. The group's obligation now is to fight back and recover the points we lost. Our goal is to reach the Copa Libertadores, and we only have three matches left to secure that qualification," he assessed.
Flamengo stumbles in BH and leaves the G-4
Belo Horizonte (MG) - Flamengo had won five consecutive matches, was the team that had climbed the most positions in the standings in the second half of the season, and saw its dream of competing in the Copa Libertadores become a reality. To do so, however, it would need to face Cruzeiro, who is going through its worst run of the year, having not won in seven matches and was out of the top four after 4 rounds. A scenario that seemed easy for the Rio de Janeiro team, if not for Roni. The striker, left out of the starting lineup for two games, was given a new chance by under-fire coach Dorival Júnior and played a key role in the Raposa's 17-3 victory over the Rubro-Negro, a result that broke the drought and put the Minas Gerais team back in the Libertadores qualifying zone, in the final round of the 1th round of the Brasileirão, at the Mineirão.
The result left the Minas Gerais team in third place with 57 points, two ahead of Flamengo, now outside the top four in fifth place. In the next round, Cruzeiro will try to maintain its good form against Internacional on Saturday at Beira-Rio. The final sequence also includes duels against Sport (away) and América-RN (at home). The Rubro-Negro hosts Santos on Sunday at Maracanã, and also plays Atlético-PR (at home) and Náutico (away).
The day was all about Roni. With the captain's armband once again on his shoulders (a sign of the respect he has from his teammates), he sought the game from the opening minutes. His first real chance came only in the 13th minute, when the forward received a well-placed pass from Wagner, burst into the box, and fired a cross-shot that grazed Bruno's right post.
The fans' impatience, who called the players "popcorn sellers" on Friday, weighed heavily on their side, but the disunity was short-lived. In the 25th minute, Roni burst into the box and was tripped by Juan. The penalty was awarded and converted by the striker, who scored his 11th goal in the Brasileirão and became the Celeste's top scorer in the competition.
Against his former club, Roni seemed determined to avenge the boos he received at the Maracanã. Facing an unrecognizable Flamengo, the Flamengo's determination—and particularly that of its captain—brought new challenges in the 28th minute. Guilherme sprinted and passed the ball short to the day's standout player, who spun around his marker and narrowly missed hitting Bruno's right corner.
At 38, however, Roni didn't waste another chance. Improvising on the left flank, Jonathan sought the game on the right, received a pass, and came out with the ball under control. After dribbling past the entire defense, he rolled the ball low to the center of the box, where the striker arrived with a powerful shot to score.
Flamengo barely threatened. The team's only chance in the first half was a Thiago Salles header in the 41st minute. However, after the break, coach Joel Santana brought on Renato Augusto and Roger, which gave the Red-Blacks a boost. In the fifth minute, Renato Augusto attempted a long-range shot, but the defense cleared the danger.
Just as the Rio team was beginning to mount a comeback, however, Cruzeiro sealed the match. In the 13th minute, after a quick counterattack, Charles received a long pass up front, controlled it alone, and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box that went into Bruno's left corner, sealing the victory.
Flamengo hadn't beaten Cruzeiro at Mineirão since 2001, and with no time to break that record, they sought other personal bests to beat. At 21, Roger took a masterful free kick and scored Flamengo's first free kick goal in this Brasileirão. It was a step forward, but ultimately it didn't yield anything. The day was blue in Belo Horizonte, and the fans rallied behind the players again in the Copa Libertadores. The crisis was over, and even Kerlon's Foca dribble was showcased again, showing that Cruzeiro is back in contention for a spot in the continental competition.
PeléNet
Cruzeiro defeats Flamengo in the Libertadores duel
From UOL Esporte\ In Belo Horizonte\
Direct competitors for a spot in the Copa Libertadores, Cruzeiro and Flamengo managed to finish the round in the qualifying zone for the continental competition. The Minas Gerais team, which had not won in seven rounds, surpassed the Rio de Janeiro team, which was on a five-game winning streak, in the Brazilian Championship standings by defeating them 3-1 this Sunday at Mineirão Stadium.
With the victory, Cruzeiro reached 57 points and returned to the group of four that qualify for the Copa Libertadores, provisionally taking third place. The team hadn't won in seven rounds of the Brasileirão. In addition to the comeback, it managed to stave off the onset of a crisis at Toca da Raposa.
With the defeat, Flamengo, which remained with 55 points but remained in the top four, is in the Copa Libertadores qualifying zone, following Palmeiras' loss to Sport in Recife. The Rio de Janeiro team snapped a five-game winning streak in the competition. Now, they have a chance to react at home.
Following the Brazilian Championship, Flamengo will play two consecutive games at Maracanã, against Santos, on Sunday, and Atlético-PR, on the 25th. On December 2nd, they will end their participation in the competition against Náutico, in Recife.
Cruzeiro will play two consecutive away games. On Saturday, they face Internacional in Porto Alegre. On the 25th, they face Sport in Recife. The Minas Gerais team bids farewell to the Brazilian Championship against América-RN at Mineirão Stadium.
Cruzeiro entered the lineup with a different lineup compared to previous matches. Coach Dorival Júnior brought in Roni, Luís Alberto, Emerson, and Mariano, and also improvised Jonathan at left back. After the thrashing suffered by Botafogo in the previous round, a group of fans protested and threw popcorn at the players upon their arrival in Belo Horizonte.
After a lukewarm start, Cruzeiro improved in the second half and began to create chances, particularly through the experienced Roni, who opened the scoring in the 26th minute with a penalty he won after a challenge with Juan. The striker extended the lead in the 38th minute after a superb play by Jonathan.
Flamengo produced little in the first half. The red-and-black team limited itself to marking the opponent and counterattacking. But it didn't pose any threat to Fábio's goal.
Flamengo returned for the second half with two changes: Roger and Renato Augusto replaced Juan and Maxi Biancucchi. The Rio de Janeiro team staged a comeback and even created scoring opportunities. But Cruzeiro extended their lead in the 12th minute with a powerful shot from outside the box by Charles.
The Minas Gerais team managed the result and secured victory after a long period of danger without scoring.
After defeat, Ibson asks Flamengo to "calm down" in the Brazilian Championship
From UOL Esporte\ In São Paulo\
The 3-1 defeat to Cruzeiro that broke Flamengo's streak of five consecutive victories, this Sunday (4), in Belo Horizonte, made midfielder Ibson ask the Rio de Janeiro club to remain calm for the rest of the Brazilian Championship.
Flamengo left the qualifying zone for the 2008 Copa Libertadores da América, and gave up its position in the G-4 to Cruzeiro.
"We need to stay calm right now. There's no point in getting desperate. We need to absorb this defeat, return to Rio calmly and think about the last games of the Brazilian Championship, since we want the Libertadores," said the player.
"We knew Cruzeiro was in a bad situation and would go for this win at any cost. They needed to win, and Flamengo ended up conceding. We were better in the second half, but we only scored one goal," he analyzed.
Flamengo remained with 55 points, but now occupies fifth place in the table, while Cruzeiro reached 57, in third place with three games left in the tournament.
Renato Augusto returns and complains about Fla's attitude
From UOL Esporte\ In São Paulo\
Midfielder Renato Augusto, considered one of Flamengo's stars, returned to the team this Sunday (4), in the 3-1 defeat to Cruzeiro, after five games away due to an injury.
The player replaced Argentine Maxi in the second half and showed good game rhythm in an attempt to help the Rio de Janeiro club turn the score around at Mineirão Stadium. However, his performance was insufficient for Flamengo to leave Belo Horizonte with at least a draw.
"There's no point talking about me now. I may have played well, but we need to think about the team. It was a very bad defeat for the team, we didn't have a good attitude on the field," said Renato still on the pitch, after the final whistle.
"The group's obligation now is to fight to recover the points we lost. Our goal is to reach the Libertadores, and we only have three matches left to secure this qualification," he added.
After the loss to Cruzeiro, Flamengo still has two more matches at home; they face Santos and Atlético-PR in front of their fans, and then, in the closing stages of the National Championship, they visit Náutico.
Flamengo enters the field with the "Mengão is Penta" shirt
Flamengo took to the Mineirão pitch this Sunday afternoon wearing a shirt that read: "Mengão is Five-Time Champion." The initiative is part of the club's movement to recognize the title won in 1987 through the Copa União.
The club intends to take legal action to ensure
BalloonSport
Fla arrives in Rio after a two-hour delay
Management manages to fit the delegation on a flight and the group arrives in the city at 3 a.m.
Marcio Iannacca
Flamengo players play cards at the airport while waiting for their flight back to Rio.
Playing cards, laptops, chatting with friends, and even sharing headphones to listen to an MP3 player. These were just some of the ways Flamengo players passed the time while waiting to board their flight from Belo Horizonte to Rio de Janeiro. The flight, scheduled to leave the Minas Gerais city at 23:35 PM, was delayed and unable to take off due to bad weather in one of the connecting cities.
Ibson, Diego, Luizinho, Obina, Juan, and Leo Medeiros were having fun playing cards. Divided into two groups, they spread out in the airport lobby. While the games raged, other players found other ways to distract themselves. Roger, Fábio Luciano, Egídio, and Rodrigo Arroz decided to stay and chat.
In another room, separated from the card game stars by tinted glass, Leo Moura, Renato Augusto, Thiago Sales, and Toró were having fun on MSN. Argentinians Maxi and Colace opted to share headphones and listen to music.
The soccer leadership, meanwhile, chatted in one of the airport's cafes, and later, when the delay was confirmed, they rushed to decide the delegation's route. Once the situation was resolved, the group boarded a flight to Rio de Janeiro at 1:30 a.m.
Fla responds to São Paulo
Players enter the field at Mineirão wearing the 'Mengão is five-time champion' shirt
The controversy over who is the first five-time Brazilian champion, São Paulo or Flamengo, gained a new chapter this Sunday. After a week of bickering, the Flamengo players took the field at Mineirão Stadium, where they lost 3-1 to Cruzeiro, wearing shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Mengão is five-time champion" (watch the video below).
The Flamengo board's plan is to respond to the Tricolor leaders, who insist on refusing to admit that the Rio de Janeiro team won its fifth championship in 1992. Last week, a shirt with the phrase "Penta único" (Single penta) was made by the São Paulo club's sports equipment supplier, further fueling the debate. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) itself also does not recognize Flamengo's 87 Copa União title. According to the organization, the champion that year was Sport.
Ibson: 'Fla has to absorb the result'
Midfielder says team needs to take advantage of home games to recover in the table
Marcio Iannacca
Midfielder Ibson analyzed Flamengo's 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro (watch the goals) this Sunday at Mineirão Stadium. According to the Flamengo player, the team lost the match due to a poor first-half performance. According to the team's star player, Flamengo cannot afford to let their heads drop and must take advantage of home advantage in the next two Brazilian Championship matches, against Santos and Atlético-PR.
GLOBOESPORTE.COM: Is this defeat a reason for Flamengo to despair? We have to be calm and absorb this negative result. We knew they would be under pressure to get a result and that they would come out swinging in the first half. We couldn't contain Cruzeiro's momentum. We conceded a goal, tried to recover, and then conceded a third goal. It's tough to suffer a negative scoreline playing away from home.
Did Flamengo relax in Sunday's match?\ That's football. The team didn't get complacent. The group is always talking to each other to avoid making these mistakes. Cruzeiro came out strong, looked good, and took a 2-0 lead in the first half.\
Is it a cause for concern to have, even if only for a moment, fallen out of the Libertadores zone? It's not a reason to despair. When we were second to last, we weren't desperate. Why would it be now? Pressure is normal, and at Flamengo, it's always been there.
Flamengo improved in the second half and looked like they were going to fight back. How did you feel about that comeback? If we'd scored the second goal on that Leo Moura play, the game would have heated up, and we might even have tied the match. Now, we can't complain. We have two home games, and we need to win them.
Why didn't Flamengo repeat the good performances of recent games? Flamengo won't always play well. We have a long week ahead, a six-point game. Let's work hard to avoid dropping any more points.
Joel: 'It all went wrong'
Coach says team needs to win its last three games to secure the Libertadores
Marcio Iannacca
Coach Joel Santana admitted shortly after the 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro (watch the goals) at Mineirão Stadium that Flamengo's performance was disastrous. According to the coach, the team didn't perform as expected in the first half of Sunday's match. He spoke clearly about his opinion of the team and included himself among the critics.
- Today (Sunday) everything went wrong for Flamengo. We played very poorly, and I include myself in that - he admits.
For the coach, Flamengo cannot lose any more points in the last three rounds of the Brazilian Championship.
"We lacked balance. There's a saying that we can burn some fat. Flamengo burned the last of it. We have to earn six points at home and then decide who's up there in Pernambuco," says the red-and-black coach.
Cruzeiro passes over Fla
Raposa wins again after seven games and returns to the G-4. Rubro-Negro remains in fourth place\ Márcio Iannacca\
With a stunning 3-1 victory over Flamengo this Sunday at Mineirão Stadium, Cruzeiro made amends for the losses it suffered in the last seven rounds of the Brazilian Championship and returned to the top four with 4 points. With 57, Cruzeiro, despite the loss, remains in fourth place, as Palmeiras was defeated 55-3 by Sport (watch the goals from the game in Minas Gerais in the video below).
In the next round, while Flamengo hosts Santos at Maracanã, Cruzeiro will face Internacional at Beira-Rio. Both games will take place on Sunday, the 11th.
First half of one team only
As the team hadn't won in seven matches, the Celeste fans didn't show up in good numbers, unlike the red-blacks, who, at least before the match started, sang as loudly as the home team.
Even under pressure from recent poor results, Cruzeiro went all out against Flamengo. The first dangerous move came, somewhat unintentionally, in the 10th minute, when Jonathan delivered a well-placed cross from the left, which hit Bruno's left post. Soon after, in the 13th minute, Roni played a one-two with Mariano and from inside the box, fired a cross-shot that grazed the Flamengo's right post.
The Rio de Janeiro team played very poorly, especially in midfield, which was lacking in passing, leaving Obina and Maxi isolated in attack. And the Raposa's attacking momentum paid off in the 25th minute: Roni was brought down by Juan in the box, and referee Heber Roberto Lopes awarded a penalty. Roni himself took the penalty, lifting the fans in the Mineirão stands: 1-0 Cruzeiro
Obina didn't play well this Sunday
Flamengo completely lost their way and pushed Cruzeiro even further into their own half. Excited, the home side went in search of a second goal. In the 28th minute, Roni once again took a shot from outside the box, just wide of the crossbar. In the 36th minute, a beautifully executed move: Guilherme received the ball inside the box, lifted the ball, and attempted a bicycle kick, but it went wide of Bruno's right.
At 38, there was another Blues celebration in Belo Horizonte: Jonathan dribbled in, passed to Roni, who, unmarked, scored the second. To give you an idea of the Red-and-Blacks' apathy, the team's first shot on goal came in the 41st minute, with a header from Thiago Sales that sailed over Fábio's crossbar.
Fla returns with Roger and Renato Augusto on the team
Irritated by the team's poor performance in the first 45 minutes, coach Joel Santana took off Juan and Maxi and brought on Roger and Renato Augusto in the locker room. Toró then moved to left back. The Red-Blacks improved somewhat, but in the 13th minute conceded their third goal, following a beautiful shot from outside the box by Charles.
At this point, the Flamengo fans, who shared the Mineirão stands with the few Cruzeiro fans present, bowed their heads and silently conceded. The Rio de Janeiro team had a good chance in the 15th minute, when Leo Moura crossed to Ibson, who headed the ball, but Fábio made a good save.
Soon after, in the 21st minute, Ibson was brought down just outside the box. Roger took a free kick with skill to reduce Cruzeiro's lead. A ray of hope for the red-and-blacks, who decided to stay in the stadium until the end. In the 34th minute, Leo Medeiros, who had replaced Cristian, shot from outside the box. Fábio rebounded but recovered in time to secure the victory to chants of "olé" from the Cruzeiro fans.
Throw
Cruzeiro prepares for a comeback against Flamengo
Roni (twice) and Charles were the Rubro-Negro's executioners. The fight for a Libertadores spot heats up even more.
Roni celebrates, rekindling the relationship between Cruzeiro fans and the team (Credit: André Brant)
Fred Gomes
In a match marked by the end of two streaks—the Minas Gerais team hadn't won in seven games, while the Rio de Janeiro team had won five—Cruzeiro defeated Flamengo 3-1 this Sunday in the 35th round of the Brazilian Championship. Roni (twice) and Charles scored for the hosts, with Roger scoring a goal. With the result, the Foxes now have 57 points, taking third place from the Red-Blacks.
Cruzeiro started the match with absolute dominance in midfield, cornering Flamengo in their own half. The first dangerous move came from the home side, who nearly opened the scoring in the 14th minute through Roni. The Cruzeiro forward fired a dangerous shot past Bruno after receiving a beautiful pass from Guilherme.
The Foxes' territorial dominance persisted, and in the 24th minute, a series of errors by the refereeing trio occurred. Fabio Luciano awarded a penalty to Guilherme after a ball was lifted into the Cruzeiro box, but Héber Roberto Lopes ignored it. Soon after, Maxi was pushed by Léo Fortunato, and the referee didn't award it. Subsequently, the Cruzeiro defender released Roni, who was brought down by Juan, who arrived too late to the play. On the latter, Héber made no mistake and awarded the penalty.
Roni took a classy shot, placing it on the right side of Bruno, who fell to the other: Cruzeiro 1-0. The striker, formerly of Flamengo, threatened the red-black goal again two minutes after his goal, with a dangerous shot.
In the 38th minute, the devilish Roni punished his former club once again. Cruzeiro's number 9 received the ball from Jonathan and, with a flick, fired past Bruno, extending Minas Gerais' lead.
As the first half drew to a close, Joel Santana, visibly concerned about the red-and-black apathy, announced he would make changes. The Man with the Clipboard returned for the second half with Roger replacing Juan, by far the worst player on the pitch and who hadn't played in a few games, and also replaced Maxi with Renato Augusto.
The changes made by Joel had some effect, as although Roger and Renato Augusto were not brilliant, they gave the red-black midfield more movement.
However, in the 12th minute, a beautiful shot from Charles threw a bucket of cold water on Flamengo, extending the hosts' lead to 3-0.
Flamengo's first goal came in the 21st minute, when Roger, with a beautiful free kick, gave a little hope to the many red-black fans who went to watch the team in Belo Horizonte.
The Red-Blacks tried to put pressure on their rivals, but were hampered by the numerous fouls committed by Dorival Júnior's team. However, Joel's team failed to capitalize on their chances from set pieces.
In the 37th minute, Kerlon returned to juggling the ball in the game that marked the end of a seven-game winless streak for Cruzeiro.
Fla takes advantage of the game to claim the 1987 title
Players enter with the inscription "Mengão is five times" on their white shirts
The controversy sparked after São Paulo's fifth-ever championship, in which the Tricolor team claimed to be the only team to have won five Brasileirão titles, sparked an immediate backlash on Wednesday, the day of São Paulo's triumph. This Sunday, before the match between Cruzeiro and Flamengo at Mineirão Stadium, the red-and-black players wore shirts with the inscription: "Mengão is five-time champion."
Flamengo won the Brazilian Championships in 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1992. The fourth title, however, is not recognized by the CBF, the entity that controls Brazilian football.
Renato Augusto ignores good return to Fla
The player provided good movement to the red-black midfield
Much criticized for his poor performances since returning from the U-20 World Cup in Canada in July, Renato Augusto performed well in the match against Cruzeiro, being one of the few players who escaped the red-and-black's poor performance in Flamengo's 3-1 defeat this Sunday. However, that wasn't enough for the player.
"There's no point in thinking about myself, but rather about the group. The defeat was very bad for our plans," he lamented.
The 19-year-old added that a draw wouldn't be a bad result for Flamengo:
- Even a draw would be good for us - concluded Renato Augustou, who did not participate in the victories over América de Natal and Corinthians due to a gluteal injury.
Ibson calls for calm at Flamengo after the defeat
Midfielder believes Fla had a good second half, but the third goal was fatal
After a 3-1 loss to Cruzeiro, which ended Flamengo's five-game winning streak, midfielder Ibson said it's time to calm down. At the end of the round, if Palmeiras doesn't stop Sport at Ilha do Retiro, Flamengo will drop out of the top four.
"We have to be calm and absorb this negative away result. We knew Cruzeiro, who were in a tough spot, would come out on top because they needed this win. Unfortunately, we couldn't hold on," he lamented.
The red-black number 7 points to Cruzeiro's third goal as the main reason for the Gávea club's defeat.
- In the second half, we came back better, but we ended up conceding the third goal - he concluded.