Flamengo wanted to play. Vasco didn't. Flamengo pushed forward, pushed forward, and pushed forward. Vasco committed foul after foul and locked themselves in their own half with 11 players, hoping for a miracle pass or a set piece. Flamengo had over 60% possession. Vasco watched the ball roll around the field. But in the end, victory never came. Flamengo and Vasco drew 1-1, a scoreline that was better for their rival, who has a game in hand. Vasco loses its lead in the Brazilian Championship, remaining with 11 points, and in the next round will try to take first place in a head-to-head match against Atlético Mineiro, at Independência Stadium, Saturday (26), at 21 pm. 

The red-and-black goal was scored in the first half by Vinicius Junior, with Vasco equalizing soon after. These were, strictly speaking, the only real good chances, and their goal came, as expected, from a set piece. At the end of the match, after a scuffle involving all the players, Rhodolfo and Cuéllar were sent off and will miss the team's next match. 

Flamengo started off with a bang. Less than a minute in, Diego delivered a beautiful bicycle kick pass through the middle and found Henrique Dourado, but the striker was dispossessed as he was about to shoot.e. Vasco was coming on strong, but the quality of the red-and-black squad stifled the Cruzmaltinos' ambitions. And their superiority soon turned into a goal. In the 13th minute, Everton Ribeiro took a shot from distance, but Martin Silva released the ball to Vinicius Junior, who made no mistake. It was the young striker's first goal against Vasco. 

The goal heated up the game. However, it woke up the rival, who found the best way to play corners. And so, they equalized. In the 17th minute, Pikachu took a corner, Rios deflected it, and Wagner finished, making it 1-1. Flamengo began to fall behind Vasco, committing fouls and frequently stalling the game, disrupting the ball control, a hallmark of Mauricio Barbieri's team. Long shots and set pieces were all that remained, but to no avail in the first half, which ended in a draw. In the end, captain Réver was injured and replaced by Rhodolfo. 

The second half began with Flamengo pressing Vasco harder on their own half. Less hasty and more aggressive, the Rubro-Negro completely dominated the first 10 minutes, but without any truly dangerous chances. As time went on, the game became more even and concentrated in the midfield. Fouls were constantly slowing down the game and preventing the ball from flowing. And when a good chance came, it didn't count. In the 19th minute, Vinicius Junior set up a counterattack and found Dourado free in front of goal. The striker scored, but the referee ruled it out, calling it offside. 

The quality of the game dropped dramatically. Even with 63% possession, Flamengo struggled to break down Vasco's defense. Marlos Moreno came on for Vinícius Junior, who came off tired, but fouls impeded the flow of play. Vasco used this tactic to avoid Flamengo's passing. And it was successful, as the final score of 1-1 was better for their opponents.