On Thursday night (22), Flamengo drew 1-1 with Fluminense in the semifinal of the Taça Rio and did not advance to the competition's final, as the opponent had the advantage in the result. After the match, coach Paulo César Carpegiani spoke to the press at a press conference at the Nilton Santos stadium.

"We conceded a goal from a set piece when we had the game under control. This is Fluminense's main play, and we knew it. Goals only happen this way when you're careless. Fluminense wanted the equalizer, and we conceded in the 45th minute of the first half. We created many opportunities in the second half, but we couldn't score. We tried hard. I made the wrong decision against Macaé by fielding an alternate team, as we could have gone into today with the advantage of a draw. They played within the rules and held on to the result. The semifinal starts on Wednesday, and we're going to look for that result," said the coach.

Flamengo returns to the field for the semifinal of the Campeonato Carioca in the middle of next week, with the date and location yet to be defined.

Check out the main excerpts from the press conference:

Flamengo's performance

We displayed spirit, grit, and determination. We controlled the game. We faced a team good at counterattacking, which played within the rules and scored from a set piece. I put Everton at left-back because I wanted Vinicius to be able to partner him, even though it would open up the defense more. Then I opted to use Cuéllar to cover that space. Even with his introduction, we continued to pressure the opponent.

Changes in the second half

We faced a team that had practically five defenders at the back, plus the defensive midfielders. They closed up well, making it harder to create chances. It's tough when the match is like that. You need personal play to define the chances. That's why Vinicius came on. In the second half, I put Paquetá inside and asked Diego to stay wider. That's how we managed to keep the pressure on. We had two or three spectacular saves, and that's why we didn't turn the game around.

Advantage of the draw

It doesn't change our way of playing. I'll always set up my team to score, regardless of the advantage of a draw. We've been in this position before and haven't closed ourselves off. Personally, I always set up my teams to be aggressive and looking for a result. I wouldn't know how to play with a team that's extremely regimented and has the rules under its belt. I like having an advantage, but I wouldn't do that.