With two great goals from Everton Ribeiro, Flamengo qualified early for the round of 16 of the Conmebol Libertadores by beating Emelec 2-0 at Maracanã. After the victory on Wednesday night (16), assistant coach Maurício de Souza and number 7 spoke to the press at a press conference. 

A memorable match for the Flamengo midfielder. Scoring both goals that secured the Mais Querido's place in the next stage of the competition, Everton played one of—if not the best—games of his time at the Gávea club. He, who saw his son born last Friday, was moved and celebrated with the nation.

"It was an unforgettable night. My son was just born, he's doing well, and we're enjoying him. Today was a game to crown this moment we're experiencing. We ran hard, gave our all, and fought for victory until the end. It was a true Flamengo experience," said Everton Ribeiro.

"They managed to surprise us early on. We tried to come out and play, and Emelec pressed. We ended up lacking in passing, and they did well. After 15 minutes, we improved and managed to create chances, but we missed the goals. In the second half, we got what we needed, we managed to put things together, and we scored the goals that gave us the victory," said the number 7.

Regarding Maurício Barbieri's role in his development, Ribeiro stated that the coach has been very important. "He's showing his full potential and has gotten the team tactically right. My performance is driven by the team's growth. Being closer to each other makes my game and my ball handling easier. His work is helping us improve a lot," he said.

"The board has been strengthening the team in recent years, and the fans put on a show of support today. We were aggressive, and qualifying will be celebrated because it was a tough one. We know it's not over, and we still have one game left. We'll go for the win to finish in first place," concluded Everton Ribeiro.

Assistant coach Maurício de Souza, who took over after Maurício Barbieri's red card, also spoke after the game. "I only realized his situation when the fourth official called the referee. He complained about fouls that were stopping our attack, and I think that led to the red card. I used our coaching staff to brainstorm ideas; we needed to make changes. We talked a lot during the game to do our best. We're prepared and a united committee, so we knew what Maurício would think during the game. I feel ready to always help him whenever necessary," he stated. 

Mais Querido's next challenge will be on Saturday (19), at 19 pm, when they host Vasco at Maracanã. The match is valid for the Brazilian Championship.