It was a truly remarkable debut in a "new" home. The seniors are already accustomed to it, but today was the day the U-17s officially stepped onto the Ilha do Urubu pitch. And they got off to a flying start. In the first leg of the U-17 Copa do Brasil Round of 5, Flamengo defeated Santos 2-18 and secured a commanding advantage for the return leg on the XNUMXth at Vila Belmiro.

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After a memorable first half, with broad dominance, three goals scored and several missed, the "Garotos do Ninho" struggled in the second half and suffered a scare with two goals from Santos and a shot that hit the post. However, at the end of the game, the changes made by coach Marcio Torres paid off, and the final score of 5-2 (Vitor Gabriel, Patrick, Wendel, Rhyan, and Gomes) gives the Rubro-Negro a good advantage for the return match, scheduled for next Wednesday (18) at 16 pm at Vila Belmiro, with live coverage on SporTV. The "Mais Querido" can lose by up to two goals. If they advance, their opponent in the quarterfinals of the national competition will come from the duel between Cruzeiro and Internacional. 

Aware of the importance of a good result in the first leg to gain more confidence next week at Vila Belmiro, Flamengo pressed their opponents from the first minute. And the strategy paid off. With the ball at their feet and suffocating their opponents, Flamengo opened the scoring in the 7th minute, and it was a stunning goal! Luan Capanni took a chance from outside the box; the ball deflected off the defense and fell to Ramon. He crossed first time to top scorer Vitor Gabriel, who unleashed a first-time bomb into the top corner, past goalkeeper Jeimes, who was helpless. Immediately after, in the 12th minute, Luan Capanni was released in the box and was awarded a penalty. Captain Patrick took the penalty with great composure and skill, simply rolling it past the goalkeeper and scoring the second goal for the Boys of the Nest. 

Santos first threatened in the 17th minute. On a quick counterattack, Rodrygo burst into the box and shot across goal, but Victor Hugo made a solid save. Santos nearly extended their lead in the 23rd minute, with a Patrick free kick that grazed Jeimes's right post. In the 35th minute, after a rebound inside the Santos box, the ball fell to Yuri, who fired a first-time shot that Jeimes made a solid save. The team's control was wide, and the third came on the following play. Vitor Gabriel challenged the defender and passed to Wendel, who fired a powerful shot that the goalkeeper couldn't save. The 3-0 score at the end of the first half was consistent with the red-and-blacks' superiority on the field. 

Ten minutes into the second half, Patrick conceded a penalty on Rodrygo. He took the penalty himself, and the ball bounced off Victor Hugo's left post, who jumped into the top corner. Santos pulled one back in the 10th minute when Rodrygo burst into the box and struck a powerful shot past Victor Hugo. In the next play, Lucas Lourenço took a shot, the ball hitting the post and crossing the entire goal line. Flamengo narrowly escaped conceding a second. Santos grew into the game and reduced the deficit even further in the 17th minute when Lucas Lourenço took a free kick that Vitor Gabriel headed into an own goal. 

With the team physically exhausted on the field, coach Marcio Torres made three simultaneous changes, and the move paid off. In the 40th minute, Flamengo went ahead, and Rhyan, who had just come on, showed great composure in the box to control the ball and score the Mais Querido's fourth goal of the match with his first touch. A minute later, Vitor Gabriel made a great individual play and was awarded a penalty. Yuri de Oliveira took the shot, and the goalkeeper saved it, but Gomes was opportunistic and scored the fifth on the rebound, restoring the Garotos do Ninho's composure and sealing a crucial 5-2 victory.

"I'm very happy with the entire team's performance. The play that led to the first goal is something we've worked on a lot in training, with Ramon's arrival at the baseline and the cross to the far post. Today I hit a beautiful shot and was able to contribute to my teammates with this beautiful goal. As for the penalty kick at the end of the game, it's a play that our coach Marcinho always encourages me to try in games, which is to go after the defenders. Thank God it worked, and we came away with an excellent victory in our first game at Ilha do Urubu," said top scorer Vitor Gabriel.

Before going to Santos, the U-17 team receives Nova Iguaçu this Sunday (15), at 10 am in Gávea, in a single match valid for the semifinal of the Rio Cup. Champion of the Guanabara Cup, the Garotos do Ninho also seeks the title of the Rio Cup, to be Carioca champion without the need to play the final.

Flamengo took to the field with Victor Hugo, Braian (Teo), Ari, Patrick (Natan), Ramon, Henrique, Lucas Gabriel (Gomes), Luan Capanni (Yuri de Oliveira), Wendel, Yuri (Rhyan) and Vitor Gabriel. Coach: Márcio Torres.