Flamengo's U-20 team loves decisive games, and the Garotos do Ninho proved it once again on Wednesday morning (13), in the first leg of the category's State Championship final against Vasco, played at the Luso-Brasileiro Stadium, on Ilha do Governador. After a difficult first half, but in which the red-and-black defense once again demonstrated great security and was not leaked, in the second half the Mais Querido went on the attack and killed the game with two penalty kicks. In the end, the good 2-0 victory (Vitor Gabriel and Wendel), another over Vasco this season, gives Flamengo the important advantage of playing with the possibility of losing by up to one goal next Wednesday, at São Januário, to be crowned two-time state champions in the category.

The first half saw few scoring chances for the red-and-blacks. The best of them came in the third minute, when Gomes fired a shot from outside the box. Vasco responded in the 13th minute, when Vinicius received the ball at the edge of the box and fired a cross. Hugo Souza made a great save. And that was only in the first 45 minutes of play. 

The second half began with a shot from outside the box by Juninho and another great save by Hugo Souza, who palmed the ball away from the Mais Querido box. The Garotos do Ninho responded in the 12th minute, with a powerful shot from the edge of the box by Vitor Gabriel, which was saved by goalkeeper Halls. 

From then on, Flamengo began to impose itself on the game and dominate the proceedings. In the 16th minute, Rodrigo Muniz, who had just come on, collected the rebound from Vitor Gabriel's header and was brought down inside the box with his first touch. Vitor Gabriel calmly and coolly took the shot, leaving the goalkeeper no chance to save, and opened the scoring for the Mais Querido. 

In the 28th minute, Vasco extended their lead. This time, Vitor Gabriel was released, left the defense wanting, dribbled past the goalkeeper, and was brought down inside the box. Wendel took a classy shot and scored Mengão's second goal in the derby. Vasco tried to reduce the deficit in the 42nd minute, but Hugo Souza made a stunning point-blank save, maintaining the Garotos do Ninho's advantage in the match.

Flamengo: Hugo Souza, Luis Gustavo, Gustavo, Natan (Otavio), Italo (Ramon); Matheus Alves, Gomes (Richard Rios), Yuri Cesar; Yuri de Oliveira (Rodrigo Muniz), Wendel (Denilson) and Vitor Gabriel. Coach: Mauricio Souza.