Back at Maracanã after playing Palmeiras in São Paulo over the weekend, Flamengo also found victory again on Thursday night. Despite not being brilliant, they thrashed Juventude 4-0 in a postponed match from the eighth round of the Brazilian Championship. With the result, the team reached 21 points in the standings and could leave the relegation zone as early as next weekend.

Flamengo dominated the action from the first minute of play and had a chance to open the scoring for the first time in the seventh minute, when Léo Moura made a beautiful run down the right wing, crossed, and goalkeeper Michel Alves made a difficult save. Also from a cross, this time from Maxi on a quick counterattack, Flamengo almost opened the scoring in the 16th minute.

The goal finally came in the 30th minute: Juan crossed from the left and Régis handled the ball. Souza converted the penalty, making it 1-0. Only then did Juventude decide to come out and play, but only posed any threat from mid-range shots by Fábio Baiano and Barão, in the 43rd and 44th minutes, respectively.

Flamengo returned for the second half determined to win the match, and in the first seven minutes, they nearly did so with shots from Roger, Ibson, Rômulo, and Léo Moura. The best play of the Flamengo's pressing, however, came in the 18th minute: Roger stole the ball from Zé Rodolpho on the right wing, burst into the box, and, with his left foot, unleashed a powerful shot that narrowly missed scoring a stunning goal.

After these opportunities, the pressure eased, and Flamengo faced some difficult moments. In the biggest of them, after a cross from the left, Luciano finished from close range, and Bruno performed a miracle by palming it away for a corner in the 31st minute. In the next play, Michel crossed from the right, and the ball hit the crossbar before going out over the goal line.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute: Juan crossed from the left and Obina, who had come on in the 18th minute to replace Souza, headed it in with skill, displacing the goalkeeper and practically deciding the match. From that point on, Juventude felt the game was lost and lost heart on the field.

The punishment for the Gaucho team came in the form of a rout. In the 42nd minute, it was Obina's turn to be the waiter: he received the ball from Ibson in the box and passed it to Maxi, who, from the penalty spot, sent it into the right corner: 3-0.

Before the fourth goal, an incredible move: Obina, in midfield, released Maxi on the right wing. The Argentine entered the box, unleashed a rocket, and hit the post. On the return of the ball, Ibson finished, and the ball hit the crossbar. The rout, however, was not long in coming. In the 47th minute, Juan entered the box, shook off three opponents, and tapped the ball past Michel Alves: 4-0 and a complete celebration at the Maracanã.

FLAMENGO 4 X 0 JUVENTUDE

Stadium: Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ)\ Referee: Clever Assunção Gonçalves (MG)\ Assistants: Guilherme Dias Camilo and José Carlos de Souza (MG)\ Yellow cards: Wescley, Michel and Régis (JUV); Rômulo, Bruno and Ibson (FLA)\ Goals: Souza, in the 30th minute of the first half, Obina, in the 34th minute. Biancucchi, in the 42nd, Juan, in the 47th of the second half.\

Flamengo\ Bruno, Leo Moura, Fabio Luciano, Ronaldo Angelim and Juan; Romulo, Cristian, Ibson and Roger (Leo Medeiros); Maxi Biancucchi and Souza (Obina).\ Coach: Joel Santana.\

Youth\ Michel Alves, Baron (Renato), Wescley, Régis and Ze Rodolpho (Marcio Azevedo); Marcão, Marabá, Marcelo Costa and Fabio Baiano; Michel and Tadeu (Luciano).\ Coach: Beto Almeida.\