After the game, a breather. Coach Abel Braga was completely satisfied with his team's victory over San José in their Libertadores debut. The 1-0 score, given the conditions in which the match was played, left the team manager quite happy and proud of the team, which managed to endure a difficult first half and turn things around in the second, emerging victorious. For Abel, playing at more than 3.700 meters is a test of fire for any team, and this enhances the red-and-black victory. More than just grit, the team had the intelligence to learn how to play in the first half and kill the match in the second. 

"Playing here is like they widen the field. They move the ball around a lot. You have to suffer. We didn't play well in the first half. In the second, we were a much more organized and calm team, without much trouble. I don't know how many crosses were in the box, but the defenders were impeccable. AndThis team demonstrated intelligence. We did what we hadn't practiced in the first half. They came out strong and couldn't beat us in the second half, when we broke their line and got the result. I have no doubt that, even in the thin air, we'll come back fresh," the coach said in the press conference.

Playing at altitude isn't easy, and that's well known. Abel made a point of highlighting the work done by the club's medical and physiology team, which organized itself from the draw onward to provide the best conditions for the players and witnessed a team that held its own for 90 minutes, on par with an opponent accustomed to adversity. For the coach, Flamengo could have won the game, and even a draw would have been worthy of applause. 

"We had a chance to finish the game and score the second goal, but it's very difficult. San José has value; they can really use their best qualities, which is their speed on the flanks. It was difficult, and it will be difficult for whoever comes here. We've been scoring goals; we're an attacking team. We had a chance in the first half that the defender blocked. We had one in the second half with Gabriel too. But the important thing is that we didn't concede a goal. I'm very happy, but if it had ended in a draw, I wouldn't have left feeling sad. The logistics were very good. The players bought into the idea and are all to be congratulated. Every precaution was taken. We weren't able to play our game in the first half, but we did in the second. We showed what Flamengo is all about. Playing at 3.700 meters is a very difficult thing," concluded Abel Braga. 

Flamengo returns to Rio tonight and is already preparing for the classic against Vasco, at Maracanã, on Saturday (09), at 19 pm, for the Taça Rio. For the Libertadores, the team returns to the field on the 13th, against LDU, also at Maracanã.