With Thursday night's (16) 1-0 victory over América-MG, Flamengo maintained its 100% record in the season and secured qualification for the next stage of the Primeira Liga Cup. After the match, coach Zé Ricardo analyzed the team's performance in the match.

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"We started the match well, but after about 15, 20 minutes, América stepped up their defense. We had some problems with open balls, giving América the opportunity to work on our back line," commented the red-and-black manager. "At halftime, we had time to fix things a bit. The América player's sending off ended up making it a bit easier for us in possession. Overall, I was happy with the team's performance," he added.

Next, Zé commented on striker Orlando Berrío, who made an instant impact on the team. Since his debut, the Colombian has already racked up one goal and two assists in just three matches wearing the Sacred Mantle. "Orlando is an extremely fast player who can play in more advanced positions, both on the wing and centrally. We've been working with him in both," the coach commented, praising the athlete's versatility and guaranteeing: "Without a doubt, he's an athlete who, due to his characteristics, will be very important this season," the coach said.

Despite not participating in tonight's match, the topic of versatility brought up Zé Ricardo's analysis of Mancuello's recent performances. Still getting used to a new role, the Argentine was praised by the coach.

"We're looking for options. The team's structure has been the same for some time, and, of course, the versatility of the game depends heavily on the characteristics of each player. Mancu left a flea in our ear, so we brought him in after his vacation for a chat. He made himself available, and as he's an intelligent player, he's adapting very well. I hope he can add more quality to our midfield, which already has Diego, Willian Arão, and Rômulo," he projected.

In the coming days, the team's focus will once again be on the Campeonato Carioca, with the final round of the Guanabara Cup group stage in sight. "Now we're trying to rest the team for this final round of the Guanabara Cup, and next week, against Ceará, we'll try to secure first place, which is also important for the next stages of the Primeira Liga Cup," he concluded.

The commitment for the State Championship will be played this Sunday (19), against the Madureira team. The match will take place at the Raulino de Oliveira Stadium, in Volta Redonda-RJ, with the ball rolling from 17 pm.