If Flamengo is seeking its second Copa Libertadores title, it's only fitting that the team win 2-0 in its debut, with a stellar performance from number 2. Leonardo Moura put on a stellar performance on Wednesday night, until being substituted, exhausted, 30 minutes into the second half. To a standing ovation from the Red-Black Nation, he left the field with a goal and an assist.

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With the victory, Flamengo achieved what it wanted: a strong start in the Copa Libertadores. The team secured three points and now heads into the second group stage match of the competition, on March 10th, against Caracas in Venezuela, with greater peace of mind. The red-and-black victory this Wednesday, however, wasn't easy. Quite the opposite. It had dramatic overtones.

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Just two minutes in, a scare ensued. After a scuffle near the assistant on the left side of the red-and-black defense, a scuffle broke out among the players. In the middle, a red card was raised. It was Willians being sent off for elbowing Martínez. But the apprehension that gripped the red-and-black fans, who turned out in large numbers at Maracanã, soon turned to celebration.

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In the 10th minute, a free kick was awarded just outside the box. And, in true "Gávea number 10" style, only 29 years later and wearing the number 2 jersey, Leonardo Moura struck perfectly into the top right corner, with Garcés jumping but unable to prevent the ball from calmly sinking into the back of the net: Flamengo 1-0. After that, Flamengo held on, maintaining control of possession, and further increased the lead in the 41st minute, when Mirosevic was sent off for a step on Toró.

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In a ten-on-ten match, Flamengo came out on top in the second half. The team from Gávea hadn't opened the Libertadores with a win since 1984, and they continued to do everything they could to break that streak. Motivated and driven by an inspired Leonardo Moura, the team managed to extend their lead. The scorer of the first goal provided a precise pass for Adriano, who simply tapped it past the Chilean goalkeeper to make it 2-0 in the 13th minute.

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The larger lead prompted Andrade to take off midfielder Vinícius Pacheco and bring on Fernando to reinforce the midfield marking. It worked, and the red-and-black team remained dominant. In the 20th minute, Vagner Love came very close to scoring a third in a solo effort. Adriano and Kleberson also tried, but the 2-0 lead was already a good enough result for the team and the fans. Not even Love's late penalty miss could discourage the red-and-blacks, who went home with one certainty: their journey to a second title had started off on the right foot.