In a match played on Tuesday night (15) at the Alceu Carvalho Stadium, Flamengo's U-17 team took the lead, suffered a comeback and, at the end of the game, sought a 2-2 draw (Weverton and Jean Carlos) against Juventude, in a duel valid for the second round of the group stage of the Copa Santiago. With the result, a victory against Danúbio (URU) in the next round becomes fundamental for the Garotos do Ninho's qualification aspirations for the second phase of the competition. 

Knowing the importance of a victory, the Boys of the Nest went on the attack from the first seconds of the match, and almost opened the scoring less than a minute into the match when Juventude's defense misplayed the ball and Daniel Cabral knowingly lobbed it into the corner, but goalkeeper Arthur recovered and made a great save. Sidney crossed the ball from the rebound, and Daniel Cabral shot again, this time over the goal. In the sixth minute, Sidney crossed the ball and Luis Gustavo appeared as a surprise man inside the box, but his shot went over.

Juventude threatened in the 12th minute with Aires. But Flamengo goalkeeper Bruno made a great save, palming the ball out for a corner. After the scare, the Mais Querido continued to press. In the 14th minute, Yuri de Oliveira consciously passed the ball to Daniel Cabral, who tapped it in. The ball skimmed Arthur's left post. The Boys from the Nest created plenty of chances but missed clear scoring opportunities. In the 25th minute, João Gabriel saw Daniel Cabral's pass clearly and rolled the ball behind the defense. The cross was accurate, unlike Sidney's finish, who, unmarked inside the box, once again fired over the bar.

The second half began much the same as the first: pressure from Flamengo and some great missed chances. Just two minutes in, Yuri de Oliveira took a penalty, but goalkeeper Arthur made the save. Flamengo didn't give up and kept fighting. In the 13th minute, after a cross into the box, the ball fell to Lázaro. He shot first time, drawing another good save from Arthur, the team's standout performer.

The pressure was almost unbearable, and the red-and-black goal finally came. In the 16th minute, Lázaro passed to Weverton. The scorer of the U-16 Guilherme Embry Tournament title goal, who had just come on for Sidney, once again showed his star quality and, with his first touch, hit a cross-shot, this time leaving goalkeeper Arthur with no chance to save it, who retrieved the ball from the back of the net. 

In a simple move, Juventude equalized in the 25th minute. Gabriel Santos attempted a cross, mishit the ball, and saw it sink into the red-and-black net, lobbing goalkeeper Bruno, who was helpless. The Rio Grande do Sul team turned the game around in the 31st minute, thanks to a solo effort by Aires. "Mais Querido" couldn't afford to lose, and the "Garotos do Ninho" equalized in the 34th minute, with a header from Jean Carlos, who, like Weverton, had come off the bench. In the final minutes, the "Garotios do Ninho" pressed for the winning goal, but the final whistle blew, and the equalizer was sealed. 

Needing victory at any cost, Flamengo returns to the field for the Copa Santiago next Thursday (15) to face Danúbio, from Uruguay, at 10 am, this time at the Municipal Stadium. 

Coach: Phelipe Leal.