U-17 beats Cruzeiro away from home and maintains group leadership and the best campaign in the Brazilian Championship
Matheus França's second-half goal gives the Garotos do Ninho their seventh win in eight games. Mengão is through to the quarterfinals.
By Ian Sena - in
With an excellent defensive performance and intense as always in attack, Flamengo U-17, led by coach Mario Jorge, beat Cruzeiro in Sete Lagoas (MG) by 1x0 (Matheus França), in a match valid for the eighth round of the Brazilian Championship in the category and played on the afternoon of this Tuesday (29). With the victory - the seventh in the eight games of the competition so far - the Garotos do Ninho maintain not only the isolated leadership of Group A, now with 21 points won, but also the best campaign in the entire Brasileirão. In the last round of the group stage, Rubro-Negro receives Bahia, on Saturday (03.07) at 15 pm, in Gávea.
The game
The match started evenly, but it was Flamengo who created the best scoring chances. In the 15th minute, on a quick counterattack, Petterson sent in a first-time cross, and Matheus França narrowly missed opening the scoring. Cruzeiro responded in the 18th minute with a fine shot from Ícaro, which went over the crossbar of Flamengo goalkeeper Dyogo Alves. In the 40th minute, Matheus Gonçalves was brought down near the half-moon. He took the free kick himself, but goalkeeper Otávio made a great save, palming it out for a corner.
The Nest Boys wanted to open the scoring before halftime. In the 42nd minute, Petterson spotted the opposing goalkeeper advancing and tried from midfield. The ball went wide of the Cruzeiro goal, the last dangerous play of the first half.
Flamengo came back stronger in the second half. Just two minutes in, Mateusão turned inside the box and shot wide. In the fourth minute, Petterson struck with aplomb. The ball capriciously hit the post. The defense then cleared it for a corner. In the tenth minute, Petterson took a corner, and the ball fell to Darlan, whose shot was blocked by Otávio.
Flamengo was all for it. In the 17th minute, Matheus Gonçalves burst into the box, left his defender in the lurch, and unleashed a powerful shot that hit the Minas Gerais team's crossbar. The "Garotos do Ninho" deserved to open the scoring. In an isolated play, Vitor Roque fired a powerful shot, and Dyogo Alves, the red-and-black defender's defensive wall, made a spectacular save, keeping the score at zero.
Finally, the goal came in the 39th minute. Petterson delivered a perfect corner kick to Matheus França, who headed it in at the near post and settled the score, scoring the first goal for the Ninho Boys and maintaining their undisputed lead in Group A. A minute later, Kauã Moura conceded a penalty. Vitor Roque hit the crossbar, and Mengão celebrated their seventh victory in eight Brazilian Championship matches.
Flamengo: Dyogo Alves, Samuel, Kauã Moura, Darlan, Pedro Turini; Vitor Muller, Matheus Gonçalves, Victor Hugo; Matheus França, Petterson and Mateusão. Coach: Mario Jorge.
Check out the red-black winning goal: