Tactically and technically superior and with a great collective performance, Flamengo fairly defeated Vasco 1-0 (Daniel) in the first leg of the Otávio Pinto Guimarães Tournament final, in a match played this Saturday afternoon (29.10), in Gávea. The score gives the Rubro-Negro the advantage of playing for a draw in the second leg next Friday, in São Januário, to once again be crowned champion of the traditional competition.

Knowing that winning at home was crucial, Vasco entered the field determined to pressure Vasco from the start. The strategy paid off. Just three minutes in, striker Daniel was brought down inside the box by defender Raniel. He calmly took the penalty kick himself, into the goalkeeper's right corner, to open the scoring and further cement his place in the competition's top scorer's table, now with nine goals. From then on, the game was evenly matched, with good chances for both sides, but Flamengo dominated possession. 

In the final 15 minutes of the first half, the atmosphere heated up, mainly due to some rough tackles from Vasco, who soon had their central defense suspended by yellow cards. On the positive side for Flamengo, the perception that the team is becoming more mature with each game. With their heads on straight, the team led by coach Gilmar Popoca maintained their composure during the most tense moments of the first half and went into the locker room with the advantage.

In the second half, the game remained very even and balanced, and the excellent defensive duo of Dener and Igor stood out, with a very solid and confident performance throughout the 90 minutes. With the obligation to equalize, Vasco pushed forward and created space for some counterattacks in the final 15 minutes, which the Rubro-Negro failed to capitalize on. In the end, the 1-0 scoreline was fair, a score that gives Flamengo the important advantage of playing for a draw in next Friday's game at 10 am at São Januário, to celebrate another title this season.

"We knew the importance of this first game at Gávea. Not conceding a goal was almost a must, and our strong defensive performance reflected the excellent work we did all week. We're very focused and focused on our main goal, which is to win the OPG Tournament," said defender Igor.

Under-17 team defeats Botafogo 

In the Rio Cup semifinal, Flamengo's U-17 team relied on a strong performance from midfielder Vinícius Junior and an exemplary second half from the entire team to defeat Botafogo 3-0 (Vinicius Junior, Patrick, and Vitor Gabriel) and secure a spot in the final against Vasco. If they win, Flamengo will be the state champion outright, bypassing the need for a final, as they also won the Guanabara Cup.

The U-15 team, meanwhile, was defeated by Botafogo 1-0, and was eliminated from the Taça Rio final. However, having already won the Taça Guanabara, the Rubro-Negro team is waiting in the wings for the winner between Botafogo and Fluminense to find out their opponent in the grand final of the State Championship.