RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Flamengo beat Palmeiras by 3-1 at Allianz Parque on Sunday afternoon, reducing the difference between the two teams throughout the Brazilian Championship.
The champion marked the kick-off of the rivals, displayed a great team game, played first-class and relied on great individual performances, particularly from Gabriel and Arrascaeta, the goalscorers, to play yet another perfect match.
Despite shooting two balls at the post, Palmeiras relied too much on Dudu. The team’s supporters, the only one in the stadium, booed, protested and even hurled the seats on the lawn.
The result was similar to the first round, in Maracanã, and that led to the dismissal of coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. The defeat at home projects a climate of tension and instability for the Palmeiras’ final rounds in the Brasileirão championship.
The team had not lost three consecutive games since 2015, leaving the team parked at 68 points. The game marked Palmeiras’ farewell to their stadium in 2019. In the next round, the team, third place with 68 points, will face the Goiás in Campinas – the stadium of the capital will be unavailable on Thursday due to an event.
Champion of the Brasileirão by anticipation, Flamengo continues its private campaign to break records. Unbeatable in 28 games, the team from Rio de Janeiro has the best attack in the history of running points. The top scorer Gabriel Barbosa reached 24 goals, another record, by scoring twice on Sunday.
For Palmeiras, the match was a chance for a response to supporters after the drop in output in recent games, beating the champion of America. But the atmosphere of pressure on the coaching staff, players and also on the board, the target of a sequence of protests this week, only increased during the game.
Planning collapsed and the discomfort increased after just three minutes when Flamengo opened the score in their first attack. After Vitor Hugo’s failure to position himself on the offside line, Gabriel and Arrascaeta emerged alone in front of Jailson and the Uruguayan scored.
Owner of the match, Flamengo afforded to retreat and wait for the counter-attacks. Repeating the effectiveness of the entire campaign, the Rio de Janeiro team had great chances to score in two moves: a header of Vitinho and a finish from Gabriel. In both, Jailson saved Palmeiras. But the second goal came at 46 minutes when Gabriel took the ball into the area and kicked cross-shot, giving no chance to the goalkeeper.
Palmeiras left its rival uncomfortable in some rare moments, whenever it advanced the marking. Dudu had an advantage over Rhodolfo on the left, but the team failed to finalize accurately. Mano Menezes prepared for the game by preserving first-choice players in the loss to Fluminense. The first half was the culmination of the two teams’ campaign: Flamengo always had several good options for passing; Palmeiras only had Dudu.
The expected duel only had Palmeiras’ supporters in the stadium. The decision to adopt the single crowd was confirmed by CBF (Brazilain Soccer Federation), which accepted a recommendation from the Prosecutor’s Office of the State of São Paulo. This did not prevent the heated mood in the stands.
State police officers were called in to contain the protests of Palmeiras’ supporters behind the team’s bench. In the western sector, Palmeiras fans turned to the boxes to protest against the board of directors. The booing at the end of the first half demonstrated the extent of the dissatisfaction. The referee Ricardo Marques Ribeiro collected chairs seats that were cast on the pitch.
Despite a 2-0 lead, Flamengo kicked-off the second half by scoring on their rivals’ free-kick. Vitor Hugo passed the ball to Gerson, who played it to Gabriel for the third goal.
Flamengo slowed down the pace with the victory, and Palmeiras tried to reduce their disadvantage. Mano Menezes’ moves sparked a more vivid team, particularly Willian’s takeover of Lucas Lima. After good shots from Bruno Henrique and Willian, who struck the post, the midfielder Matheus Fernandes, substitute of Felipe Melo, managed to lower the score after a good move from Dudu. But the goal and the second half battle were not enough to minimize the booing at the end of the game. Flamengo celebrated another victory, achieving 87 points. It will play again on Thursday, in Maracanã, against Avaí.
TECHNICAL DATA
PALMEIRAS 1 x 3 FLAMENGO
PALMEIRAS – Jailson; Marcos Rocha, Luan Vitor Hugo and Diogo Barbosa; Felipe Melo, Bruno Henrique, Ramires (Scarpa) and Lucas Lima (Willian); Dudu and Luiz Adriano. Manager: Mano Menezes.
FLAMENGO – Diego Alves; Rafinha (Rodnei), Rodrigo Caio, Rhodolfo and Filipe Luís; Arão, Gerson, Bruno Henrique (Diego), Arrascaeta and Vitinho (Piris); Gabriel. Coach: Jorge Jesus.
GOALS – Arrascaeta, on three minutes, and Gabriel, on 46 minutes of the first half. Gabriel, one minute, and Matheus Fernandes, 38 minutes into the second half.
REFEREE – Ricardo Ribeiro (FIFA/Minas Gerais).
YELLOW CARDS – Rafinha and Vitinho.
YIELD – R$1.291.119,45 (US$323,000)
PUBLIC – 22,219 payers.
LOCATION – Allianz Parque, in São Paulo.
Source: Estadão Conteúdo
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