After eliminating Palmeiras with an aggregate score of 6-3 in the Brazilian Championship, guaranteeing a place in the semifinals of the competition, the Garotos do Ninho U-17 team, led by coach Ramon Lima, maintained their excellent form in the season and debuted with a victory in the 2020 edition of the Copa do Brasil in the category. In a match played on the hot afternoon of this Thursday (26), in Gávea, Mengão easily defeated the VF4 (PB) team 2-0 (Lucas Bauru and Werton). As the first phase of the Cup is played in a single match, the victory qualified the Mais Querido for the second phase (round of XNUMX) of the competition.

Fighting for a second consecutive title, having won in 2018, Flamengo will face Maranhão, who defeated Criciúma (SC), in two-legged matches. The first leg will be in Gávea, and the final will be decided at Castelão, in São Luís. Before that, Flamengo will turn its focus back to the Brazilian Championship. On Monday (30) at 17 pm, the Garotos do Ninho will face Athletico PR in the first leg of the competition's semifinal. The duel will be in Cariacica, Espírito Santo, and will be broadcast live on SporTV.

Flamengo took the field wanting to settle the game as quickly as possible, without taking any risks, and created the first scoring chance in the first minute. Pedro Turini crossed perfectly for Werton, who headed it in with aplomb. The ball skimmed the left post of Paraíba goalkeeper Edilson. In the tenth minute, Pedro Turini sent a cross into the middle of the box, and Will struck first time. The ball hit the crossbar, and the defense cleared it hastily. In the 13th minute, Pedro Turini took a free kick, Edilson rebounded, and Werton shot wide.

The Ninho Boys crushed their opponents in their own half, creating chance after chance. In the 17th minute, Petterson crossed and Werton headed, but Edilson saved again. The next minute, Will unleashed a mid-range shot, his boot grazing the Paraíba team's crossbar. 

The pressure was intense. In the 31st minute, Petterson received the ball in the box, had his shot deflected by the defense, and saw the ball hit the crossbar again, going out for a corner. In the final moments of the first half, Fabricio Yan rolled the ball into the middle of the box, and Lucas Bauru had his shot deflected off the line by defender Karlos. Fabricio Yan then unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box, over the VF4 goal.

Early in the second half, the red-and-black goal finally came. Lucas Bauru took a free kick straight at goal, surprising the opposing goalkeeper and scoring his first goal for the Sacred Mantle. The striker had recently arrived from São Paulo. In the eighth minute, Werton received the ball in the box, dribbled past the defender, and fired a cross-shot to score Mengão's second goal of the game, and his fifth of the season. 

Mengão wanted more. In the 19th minute, Werton made a great individual play, passing three defenders, and passing to Will. Edilson made a great save. Resting the team due to the intense heat, coach Ramon Lima made several changes during the second half, and the team began to manage their strong lead. Still, they created good chances, with Will in the 35th minute and Darlan in the 37th. The final score of 2-0 was enough to qualify for the Garotos do Ninho.

Flamengo: Kauã, Breno (Arthur Augusto), Darlan, Cleiton (Kayque Soares), Pedro Turini; Lucas André, Fabricio Yan (Rayan Lucas), Lucas Bauru (Rodriguinho); Werton (Andrey), Petterson (Daniel Campos) and Will. Coach: Ramon Lima.