After starring in the historic 2019 Libertadores final, Flamengo and River Plate faced each other again this Friday (3), in a pre-season friendly held in Algarve, Portugal. In a lively duel, with four goals in the first half, Rubro-Negro drew 2-2 with the Argentine team. Samuel Lino and Bruno Henrique scored for Mais Querido, who continue their preparation for the rest of the season in the Old Continent.

Flamengo remains in Portugal for two more preparation commitments. Next Wednesday (8), the team led by Leonardo Jardim faces Lausanne-Sport, from Switzerland. Then, on Saturday (11), they play the Algarve Trophy against Benfica.

The game

The match began with both teams looking to control possession. The first good opportunity came just three minutes in. Bruno Henrique received the ball in midfield, took a shot from outside the box, and posed a threat to Beltrán's goal.

Despite Flamengo's dominance in the opening minutes, it was River Plate who opened the scoring. In the sixth minute, Jorginho made a poor back pass and Driussi took advantage of the gift to tap the ball past Rossi: 1-0.

Flamengo responded quickly. Pedro took a shot from the edge of the box, forcing Beltrán into a good save. Shortly after, the number 9 again threatened, turning past his marker and firing a well-placed shot, requiring another great intervention from the Argentinian goalkeeper.

After the hydration break, Flamengo turned their superiority into a goal. Jorginho stole the ball in midfield and passed to Samuel Lino. The striker cut inside past his marker and placed a shot into the corner, giving Beltrán no chance: 1-1.

Just like in Lima in 2019, the turnaround came shortly after. Three minutes after the equalizer, Bruno Henrique received the ball in the box, left his marker behind with a beautiful cut, and finished powerfully to put Flamengo ahead: 2-1.

River reacted quickly and equalized again. After a good exchange of passes at the edge of the area, Driussi received the ball at the penalty spot and shot firmly to score his second goal of the match: 2-2.

Before halftime, Flamengo almost regained the lead. Emerson Royal delivered a precise cross to Bruno Henrique, who rose unmarked and headed the ball against the crossbar, ending a thrilling first half with four goals and good opportunities for both sides.

Flamengo returned unchanged for the second half and maintained their offensive posture. Six minutes in, Samuel Lino found Ayrton Lucas with an excellent pass. The full-back shot as the goalkeeper came out, but the defense managed to clear it almost on the line.

Around the 15-minute mark, Leonardo Jardim made the first substitutions. Everton Cebolinha, Evertton Araújo, and Wallace Yan came on for Pedro, Jorginho, and Bruno Henrique.

Subsequently, Andrew, Saúl, and Daniel Sales were also brought on. As time went on, the match became more concentrated in midfield, with both teams slowing down and creating few clear opportunities. Thus, the 2-2 draw remained until the final whistle.

Flamengo

Rossi (Andrew); Emerson Royal (Daniel Sales), João Victor, Vitão and Ayrton Lucas; Erick Pulgar (Lorran), Jorginho (Evertton Araujo) and Luiz Araújo (Saúl); Samuel Lino (Josua), Bruno Henrique (Wallace Yan) and Pedro (Everton Cebolinha).
Coach: Leonardo Jardim. 

River Plate

Beltrán; Ulises Giménez, Martínes Quarta, Rivero and Acuña; Arambarri, Lucas Silva and Fausto Vera; Galván, Colidio and Driussi.
Coach: Eduardo Coudet.

Week's agenda

Flamengo returns to the field on July 8th to face Lausanne-Sport of Switzerland at 16:30 PM (Brasilia time) at the Algarve Stadium, in another preseason friendly. 

Technical sheet

Flamengo 2-2 River Plate – Pre-season Friendly
Location: Algarve Stadium, Portugal
Date and time: 03/07/2026 at 15:30 am
Yellow cards: Fausto Vera (RIV), Erick Pulgar (FLA), Giovanni González (RIV)
Goals: Driussi (6'/1st half and 37'/1st half), Samuel Lino (30'/1st half) and Bruno Henrique (33'/1st half).