Even playing the competition with its U-16 team, a year younger than all its opponents, Flamengo won 1-0 (Luan Andrey) against Juventude (RS), in the grand final of the Copa Brasileirinho Internacional U-17 played on Wednesday afternoon (06) at Arena Gregorão, in Contagem (MG), and very deservedly became champion of the competition with an almost perfect campaign. There were seven wins and one draw in eight games, with 22 goals for and only three goals conceded. Lucas Matheus and Luan Andrey were the top scorers, with seven and six goals scored respectively.

The game

The first few minutes of the final were tense, with a tight game and no scoring chances. The first opportunity came only in the 13th minute, and it was Flamengo's turn. After pressure on the opponent's ball out, Lucas Matheus fired a shot from the edge of the box, but saw the ball fly past goalkeeper Luiz Guilherme's crossbar. In the 23rd minute, already dominating the game, Flamengo almost opened the scoring. Luis Guilherme fired a beautiful shot from outside the box, but the Rio Grande do Sul goalkeeper made a spectacular save and palmed it away for a corner.

The red-and-black goal was ripe for the taking, and in the 30th minute, it finally came. After a cross from Trivela de Germano, Luan Andrey—always him!—jumped in ahead of his marker and headed the ball into the corner to put the Garotos do Ninho ahead. It was the 12th goal for Mengão's top scorer in the 2022 season.

Juventude tried to attack more early in the second half and created two good chances, but it was Flamengo who posed the greater threat. In the 18th minute, Gusttavo hit a powerful shot, but Luiz Guilherme made another good save. In the 20th minute, Weliton shot from inside the box, but Flamengo's goalkeeper, Daniel Alves, made a fine save, maintaining Flamengo's lead.

In the final stretch of the match, the Rio Grande do Sul team pressed forward, even heading a ball against the red-and-black crossbar. Very solid and consistent defensively, a hallmark of the Mais Querido throughout the championship, Flamengo handled the pressure imposed by their opponents well, saw Daniel Alves make important saves and created good opportunities on counterattacks with Walace. With great maturity, they waited for the final whistle to celebrate their second U-16 title of the season, and the fourth in Flamengo's youth academy, which never tires of winning, winning, winning!

Flamengo: Daniel Alves, Gusttavo (Eduardo), Victor, Felipe, Eduardo Gabriel; Luis Guilherme (Schlickmann), Germano, Lucas Matheus (Walace); Marcelinho, Pyetro (Gabriel Assunção) and Luan Andrey. Coach: Leo Ramos.