In a classic valid for the 7th round of the return leg of the Guilherme Embry U-16 Tournament, Flamengo beat Botafogo 2-1, coming from behind, and opened up a three-point lead over their rivals at the top, with only two more rounds remaining in this phase. The victory achieved this Wednesday morning (12), in Gávea, leaves the Garotos do Ninho in a good position to lift the symbolic title of the return leg, which automatically guarantees participation in the final triangular. 

Mais Querido's next commitment will be next Wednesday (19), at 15 pm, when they will play away from home against Boavista, at Clube da Aeronáutica, in Barra da Tijuca. 

Classics are always fiercely contested, and this morning's match in Gávea was no exception. Playing at home, the "Garotos do Ninho" (Nest Boys) were confident that a victory over their rival would put them very close to a spot in the final triangle. 

With instructions from coach Leonardo Cherede, who replaced Ramon Lima, who is currently assisting Marcio Torres in the U-20 team, Flamengo imposed itself from the first minute.

In the match's first opportunity, Samuel played a good one-two with Marcos Felipe, who crossed perfectly for Lázaro to fire in a beautiful shot. The opposing goalkeeper even managed to clear the ball, deflecting it for a corner. Following the play, Caio recovered the ball at the edge of the box and took a shot, which sailed dangerously over the goal.

In the 16th minute, Pedro Arthur found Lázaro free in the box's half-moon. The Flamengo striker spun and fired a low shot past the Botafogo goalkeeper, who was helpless to prevent the goal. The ball sailed past the right post.

Counterattacking was Botafogo's strategy to try and surprise the home side, but the Black and Whites' attacks were thwarted by the excellent defensive duo of Gabriel Noga and Otávio. Goalkeeper Bruno received little work in the first half, and the teams went into the locker room tied at 0-0.

The second half began with Flamengo scaring their opponents in the first minute. With the ball inside the box and almost on the goal line, Dhouglas dribbled past his opponent in a beautiful play, and passed to Weverton, who fired an off-balance shot. Botafogo's defense saved what could have been Flamengo's first goal of the match on the line. 

Despite managing to convert the majority of possession into opportunities, the Garotos do Ninho had two good chances, first with Lázaro finishing weakly inside the area, and then with Daniel Cabral taking a free kick perfectly, saved by the Botafogo goalkeeper, the teams still didn't find the net.

Until the 23rd minute, after a lack of attention from the red-black marking, the ball fell to the Russian midfielder at the edge of the area, who unleashed a powerful low shot and opened the scoring for the visitors.

The goal conceded destabilized the "Garotos do Ninho" (Nest Boys), who began to rush their plays. But with the grit required of any Flamengo player, they managed to equalize, which came in the final moments of the match. In the 39th minute, moments after coming on for striker Weverton, Filipe Chrysman scored after a counterattack. And the comeback came quickly, a minute later. Mayquinho, who had just come on, took a free kick from the edge of the box; the ball was deflected to Filipinho, who passed it to Chrysman, who scored his second of the match and gave Mengão the victory.