Gabriel hadn’t scored a goal since August 20th;
31 Jan 2024 – 23h34
(updated on 1/2/2024 at 00:28)
Gabigol celebrates Flamengo’s gold.
Photo: Marcelo Cortes / CRF / Esporte News Mundo
With the main team, Flamengo won again in the Campeonato Carioca. This Wednesday (31), in Belém, at the completely packed Mangueirão stadium, the red-black team defeated Sampaio Corrêa-RJ 2-0, with goals from reserves Bruno Henrique and Gabriel Barbosa, both in the first half.
With an eye on the classic against Vasco, scheduled for next Sunday (4), at Maracanã, coach Tite rested four of his starters, including Pedro and Éverton Cebolinha, as well as Fabrício Bruno and Varella. This vote of confidence was taken advantage of by Gabigol, who ended an insistent streak of 16 matches without finding the net for Flamengo – since August 20th of last year.
The result puts the club, which stumbled in the last two games, back in the championship, now with eight points, in fifth place in the table, but with one game less in relation to Botafogo and Nova Iguaçu. Sampaio Corrêa remains in second place, with just one point added.
FIRST TIME
Flamengo didn’t let Sampaio Corrêa-RJ breathe in the first half. Bruno Henrique, who started in place of Éverton Cebolinha, needed nine minutes to seize the opportunity. De la Cruz took a free kick, goalkeeper Leandro failed to clear the ball, and shirt number 27 appeared in Silva’s book to check. The red-and-black didn’t back down. At 13, Erick Pulgar hit the crossbar after a pass from Léo Pereira.
At 30, it was Gabriel Barbosa’s turn to force goalkeeper Leandro to make a great save. And shirt 10 insisted. At 42, he entered as he wanted behind the defense, received a pass from Arrascaeta and shot across the cross to make it 2-0. Gabigol hadn’t scored a goal since August 20th. With the ball rolling, the last one was on July 27th, in the semi-final of the Copa do Brasil against Grêmio.
Bruno Henrique celebrates his goal with Gerson.
Photo: Marcelo Cortes / CRF / Esporte News Mundo
SECOND TIME
Since the victory was practically consolidated, Tite maintained his testing routine. For the second half, Gerson and Erick Pulgar gave way to Luiz Araújo and Allan. During the second half, Rayan Lucas and Varela came on to replace De la Cruz and Ayrton Lucas. With the changes, Flamengo slowed down. Gabriel, at eight, Arrascaeta, at 11, and Luiz Araújo, at 13, tried to scare, but had difficulty infiltrating the opponent’s area.
At 35, Luiz Araújo had another chance, which he stopped after a good save from Leandro. In stoppage time, Matheus Gonçalves replaced Arrascaeta, but the Flamengo fans from Pará were “angry” with Tite because they wanted striker Pedro to enter.
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