Nothing beats a rout over your biggest rival to give a team the boost it needs. After stumbling against América and falling to fourth place in the State Futsal Championship, Flamengo bounced back in the competition by crushing Vasco 7-1 last Tuesday night in Volta Redonda. With two goals from Xandó, two more from Diego Panazio, and Breno, Jaxwell, and Leco, the team from Gávea defeated its biggest rival and boosted its morale ahead of the Taça Brasil, which begins this Thursday in São Paulo.

 

The game started off competitively, but with the Gávea team dominating the match. Near the end of the first half, the red-and-blacks opened the scoring with Xandó, and soon after extended their lead with a beautiful goal from former Cruzmaltino player Diego Panazio. In the second half, coach Cid Escarlate's team returned to a strong rhythm, and early on, Xandó scored his second goal of the match, giving Mengão a three-goal lead. 

The São Januário team took advantage of the lukewarm game and found their only goal of the match, but after that, they once again became easy prey for the reigning state champions. Flamengo set a better pace, and the goals gradually came. With Vasco forced to attack, the Gávea team's strategy was to counterattack. It paid off: Diego Panazio, Breno, Jaxwell, and Leco sealed the red-and-black massacre 7-1. 

The positive result against their rivals Vasco da Gama puts Flamengo back in third place in the State Championship with 16 points, giving the team a boost ahead of the 36th Brazilian Futsal Cup. The red-and-black team's debut is next Thursday, the 5th, at 19 p.m., against Minas Gerais at Ginásio Presidente Ciro II. Mengão is in Group 2 of the competition and, in addition to Minas Gerais, faces São Paulo, São José, and Jardim Limoeiro.