The red-and-black youth soccer team celebrated its 23rd title in the 2021 season early in the afternoon of this Friday (03). After a very consistent campaign throughout the competition, the Mengão U-16 team, led by coach Leo Ramos, continued the extremely successful season of the Garotos do Ninho, and with a 2-0 victory (Euder and Jonathan) over São Paulo, they secured the Caju's Summer Cup, a strong national competition held at the Athletico Paranaense training center in Curitiba. It was the third title in the U-16 category in 2021. Before the Caju's Summer Cup, Leo Ramos's team won the Copa FCB and also the Copa Gramado.

The game

With the strongest team on the field from the opening whistle, Mengão opened the scoring after just ten minutes, with a beautiful Euder header into the top corner of goalkeeper Rafael's net, following a stunning cross from Gonçalo. The "Garotos do Ninho" continued to dominate the field and largely dominate the game, holding possession and maintaining a solid defensive system. In the 25th minute, the red-and-blacks' superiority translated into another goal, when Jonathan received the ball at the edge of the box and tapped it into the back of the net past Rafael, extending the Mais Querido's lead in the final.

Four minutes into the second half, São Paulo was awarded a penalty. Perroni hit the post, and on the rebound, Flamengo goalkeeper João Lucas made an exceptional save, palming the ball out for a corner after Paulo Sergio's shot into the corner. Flamengo continued to dominate the field and looked to score a third to kill the game. In the 27th minute, Lorran, who had just come on, took a free kick from the edge of the box and saw the ball capriciously bounce off the São Paulo crossbar. But it was not missed. The "Garotos do Ninho" masterfully held their lead until the final whistle and celebrated another title in their victorious 2021 season.

Flamengo: João Lucas, Hernandes, Erick, Carbone, Gonçalo (Pedro Inácio); Daniel, Vitor Fonseca (David Gondim), Euder (Rayan Lucas); Adriel (Paulo Roberto), Matheus Lucas (Lorran) and Jonathan (Eduardo Gabriel). Coach: Leo Ramos.

Rubro-Negra Campaign at Caju's Summer Cup:
Group stage

Flamengo 1x1 Grêmio
Flamengo 3x2 Barra (SC)
Flamengo 1x2 Athletico PR

Semifinal
Flamengo 5x0 Azuriz (PR)

Final
Flamengo 2x0 Sao Paulo