Under heavy rain on Monday morning (20), Flamengo's U-13 team was very conscious and tactically obedient, dominated the field and thrashed Vasco 5x2 (França, João Vitor, Gabriel and Vitor [2]), in a match valid for the semifinal of the Rio Cup. With the victory, the Garotos do Ninho qualified for the final of the round, in a single game against Fluminense that will be played next weekend, in Xerém. The champion of the Rio Cup will play the final of the Metropolitan Championship (the State Championship of the category) against Botafogo, champion of the Guanabara Cup. 

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In the eighth minute, Jonathan put the ball into the box, and goalkeeper Tawan mistimed the ball. The ball went wide and, fortunately for Vasco, went out of bounds. The red-and-black pressure was intense, as was the rain, which kept falling in Gávea. In the tenth minute, Vitor received a good pass inside the box and shot across goal. The ball skimmed Tawan's left post. The Boys from the Nest opened the scoring in the 18th minute. Vitor delivered a beautiful pass behind the defense to França. He beat the goalkeeper, beat defender Pablo, and tapped in to score the Mais Querido's first goal of the game, translating the team's superiority on the field from the first minute into a lead on the scoreboard. 

Vasco only threatened for the first time in the 23rd minute, when Ikaro took a free kick, and after the ball bounced, Kauã reflexively saved. The defense cleared the rebound. In the 25th minute, França made a strong run down the right flank and struck a powerful shot. The ball went wide. The Red-Blacks extended their lead in the 29th minute. Muller delivered a beautiful pass to João Vitor, who burst into the box and calmly beat the goalkeeper to score the second. Vasco pulled one back soon after in the 31st minute, thanks to a great individual play by striker Cauã, who fired a cross that left his namesake, goalkeeper Kauã, with no chance of stopping.

The second half began, and just six minutes in, the Ninho Boys scored their third. After a cross from João Vitor, the ball bounced into the box for Vitor, who slotted it into the corner for another. Vasco, vastly superior on the field, killed the game in the 17th minute. França launched a counterattack with lightning speed and passed the ball to Vitor. He burst into the box and fired a superb shot into Tawan's corner, scoring Vasco's fourth goal of the match. Vasco reduced the deficit in the 22nd minute, with a header from defender Pablo following a corner kick.

In the 29th minute, Petterson made a stunning solo play, dribbling past three opponents and crossing to João Vitor, who had an open goal, to score the fifth, but the defense blocked the ball at the right time and cleared the danger. In stoppage time, Gabriel, who had just entered the game, scored the fifth with his first touch, with a powerful left-footed shot, sealing another rout for the Ninho Boys in the competition and securing a spot in the Taça Rio final against Fluminense. 

"The key to this victory was our intense week and the way our entire team led it. We were coming off a loss to Vasco in the qualifying round, and we really emphasized competitiveness and a change in approach with the boys so we could emerge victorious. Our players did absolutely everything we asked of them throughout the week, and the result was this great victory against a very strong opponent. Now, we'll face Fluminense, a team that defends very well. We'll find the best strategy to face them, become champions, and fight for the state title next against Botafogo," said coach Leonam Kasali.

Coach: Leonam Kasali.