Combine a team hungry for goals, titles and victories with the attacking DNA of the red-black team, and we come to Flamengo's U-17 team. Two-time Brazilian champions with a 4-1 thrashing of Vasco in the grand final, the Garotos do Ninho, led by coach Mario Jorge, want to continue enchanting the Red-Black Nation and winning titles, and they made that very clear on the rainy afternoon of this Tuesday (05). 

In a match held at Gávea, valid for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinals in this category, Mengão crushed Palmeiras, winning by an irrefutable and deserved 7-3 (Matheus França [4], Darlan, Matheus Gonçalves and Victor Hugo), and left its qualification for the final of the competition well on track. In the return match, scheduled for the 13th, at 17 pm, at Allianz Parque, the Malvadão can lose by up to three goals and still qualify for the final. The opponent comes from the match between Atlético MG and São Paulo. 

Palmeiras threatened in the sixth minute with a good shot from outside the box by Kauan Santos. Flamengo goalkeeper Dyogo Alves was alert and palmed the ball away for a corner. But it was Mengão who opened the scoring. In the eighth minute, Matheus Gonçalves received a sweet pass from Matheus França and beat Zé Henrique to score the first goal for the Garotos do Ninho on a rainy afternoon in Gávea. The Mais Querido extended their lead in the 17th minute when Petterson took a corner kick that was headed by Darlan, who rose with style and headed it beautifully into the back of the net.

The Malvadão didn't slow down, scoring the third in the 20th minute. After pressure from Palmeiras, Victor Hugo passed the ball to Matheus França, who skillfully slotted it into the right corner past Zé Henrique, making it 3-0 for Mengão. Palmeiras, frightened, only threatened again in the 31st minute, with a shot wide by Endrick. A minute later, Giovani hit a powerful shot, and Dyogo Alves made a good save. In the 43rd minute, Victor Hugo drove the ball at speed from midfield to the edge of the box, fired a cross, and scored the fourth goal for the Boys of the Nest – and his 21st of the season – in the first half.

Palmeiras pulled one back six minutes into the second half with a Daniel goal. Mengão quickly returned to the attack. In the ninth minute, Petterson made a good individual move and shot low. Zé Henrique palmed it away for a corner. A minute later, Zé Welinton took a skillful free kick, but the ball hit the Palmeiras post. On the third opportunity, there was no way out. Petterson pressured the opponent's ball out and passed to Zé Welinton, who crossed perfectly for Matheus França to tap in for his second goal of the match. 

Mengão was hungry and wanted more. In the 20th minute, Matheus França received the ball well-positioned inside the box and scored his hat trick, extending the score to a deserved 6-1 in Flamengo's favor. In the 29th minute, Endrick scored Palmeiras' second, but in the 33rd minute, Matheus França received the ball in the box and beautifully chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to score—don't forget the count—the Mais Querido's seventh goal at Gávea, the fourth scored by the Flamengo midfielder. In the last minute, Luis Guilherme reduced the deficit from the penalty spot, giving the game its final score.

Flamengo: Dyogo Alves, Samuel, Iago, Darlan, Ze Welinton; Vitor Muller (Rayan Lucas), Dudu, Victor Hugo; Matheus França, Matheus Gonçalves (Carbone) and Petterson. Coach: Mario Jorge.