Flamengo took to the field this Sunday (24.05) against Avaí and was defeated by a score of 2 to 1. At the Ressacada stadium, in Florianópolis, Hugo scored both goals for the Santa Catarina team, while Gabriel scored for the Mais Querido. Rubro-Negro returns to the field on Wednesday (27.05), against Náutico, at Maracanã, in a match valid for the Copa do Brasil. Find out how to buy your ticket.

Flamengo and Avaí played a close game. In the first half, there were few shots on target, but some good plays from Flamengo. Flamengo had a chance in the fifth minute, when Canteros passed to Alecsandro. The number 5 burst into the box at speed and struck hard, but the ball went wide. Avaí tried to advance, but the Flamengo defense refused to give any space. Before halftime, Alecsandro unleashed a bicycle kick from the edge of the box, but the ball went wide.

"The first half was difficult because they know how to play here at Ressacada. We have to maintain this defensive posture and then go forward and kill the game," revealed right-back Pará at halftime. Coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo then replaced Éverton with Paulinho.

Early in the second half, Hugo fired a low shot from inside the six-yard box to open the scoring. Flamengo soon equalized. After a back-and-forth, Cáceres fired a shot straight at goalkeeper Vagner. The ball fell to Gabriel, who fired a low shot into the net. However, in the 16th minute, Hugo put the home team back in front. Amid confusion in the box, the ball went out of bounds, but the striker was still crossed in, and he capitalized to score the second. Flamengo sought an equalizer but failed to find the net until the end of the match.