A mixture of sadness and frustration. That's how left-back Renê defined Flamengo's elimination tonight, after a 1-1 draw with Fluminense in the Taça Rio semifinal. Wednesday's match qualified the Tricolor, and Flamengo will now turn its attention to the state semifinal itself. 

The opponent will be announced this Sunday, after Botafogo or Fluminense confirm the first-round title. If Botafogo wins, Flamengo will face Vasco da Gama. But if Fluminense wins the title, Botafogo will be the opponent. As the former Guanabara Cup champion, Flamengo will play for a draw. 

And playing by the rules was, in Renê's opinion, Fluminense's style of play in Wednesday's match. Their rivals held on, knowing the outcome favored them. 

"Fluminense came out thinking about tying the game. They took the lead from set pieces, and we managed to set a strong pace, especially in the second half. We were missing the final pass and the shot," said the player, who was replaced by Vinicius Junior in the second half.

It wasn't a defeat, but the draw eliminated the team. Winning the Rio Cup would have given Flamengo an advantage in the State Championship final. Now, everything is tied. The team will still have to digest the result, but the focus is already on next week. 

"Whenever we lose or don't achieve our goals, we get sad. Today wasn't our night. The right word is sad. We could have done better. We have a semifinal, now it's time to fix our mistakes and play to qualify for the State final," concluded Renê.