Márcio Torres and Wesley praise their spirit and collective performance in the Under-20 Brazil Cup
Coach and scorer of one of the red-black goals spoke about the victory against Corinthians
By Mariana Sa - inThe Garotos do Ninho entered the field on Wednesday night (25) and beat Corinthians 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the U-20 Brazil Cup. With a lot of desire and fighting from start to finish, Mais Querido left the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium in Bragança Paulista with an advantage thanks to goals from Wesley and Michael.

For coach Márcio Torres, Flamengo's performance was excellent. "It was an excellent match. Of course, these are two strong teams, and Corinthians is on the other side. It was gritty, but it was also good football. It was a balanced match, as expected. Things changed a bit in the second half with Theo's sending off. The changes, whether we like it or not, ended up putting our team behind. It's natural with a man down. But they weren't content with a draw; they went for another goal and could have scored more. It was a reflection of the grit, love, and passion that Flamengo possesses," the coach analyzed.
"Nothing is guaranteed. It's an advantage for the second home game, but we have to go in with the same spirit as today. If we start like we did this match and keep the ball going, we'll get the win. We've had a few absences, but we have a very capable squad, and those who come in can fill in. Flamengo's youth academy is at a level that makes it one of the favorites in any competition," he added.
Right-back Wesley scored the first goal for the red-and-black team and celebrated the result in São Paulo. "Our team entered the game very focused, as we knew it wouldn't be an easy match, being away from home. We dedicated ourselves immensely, fighting for our teammate who was injured, and for those who didn't play. I managed to score the goal and help the team win," the player stated. "Winning is always good, but we need to be careful and win the game in Gávea, as we know nothing is won yet," he said.
The Garotos do Ninho return to the field next Saturday (28), when they welcome Botafogo to Gávea for the semi-final of the Campeonato Carioca. Afterwards, Mais Querido faces Corinthians on Tuesday, at 15 pm, also at their stadium, for the second leg of the Copa do Brasil Sub-20.