Flamengo puts pressure on Fluminense, clinches victory with superiority, and takes the lead in the Carioca Final

Flamengo's Dominance on Display

On this Saturday (9th), Fluminense and Flamengo clashed at the Maracanã in the first leg of the Carioca Championship semifinals, with the Rubro-Negro triumphing over the Tricolor 2-0.

Early Struggles for Fluminense

The match kicked off with Fluminense, as usual, trying to seize control of the ball from their defensive line. However, with Tite's high-pressure marking scheme, Diniz's team encountered difficulties.

Flamengo Strikes First

Until, at the 46th minute of the first half, Flamengo's high-pressure marking paid off. Pulgar gained possession and crossed to Everton Cebolinha, who headed firmly past Fábio, who managed to touch the ball but couldn't prevent it from nestling into the net. 1-0 to Flamengo.

Turning Tides

In the second half, Diniz made changes, substituting left-back Diogo Barbosa with the experienced Marcelo. Fluminense managed to balance the game for a while.

Thiago Santos' Dismissal

However, at the 17th minute, Thiago Santos tackled Everton Cebolinha's ankle. The referee, initially showing only a yellow card, consulted VAR and sent off the defender.

Fluminense's Uphill Battle

What was already challenging with 11 players became even more complicated for Flu with 10 men. Once again, Flamengo squandered clear goal-scoring opportunities, missing 3 to 4 chances face-to-face with goalkeeper Fábio.

Flamengo's Final Blow

Exiting the field, the Goat channel reporter reminded Pedro of last year's final, when Flamengo led by two goals against Flu in the first leg but suffered a turnaround in the second game, losing the title. Pedro then spoke about his achieved milestone and the prospects for the upcoming clash.

Hope for a Fluminense Comeback

On the other hand, Felipe Melo stated that it's "very difficult" to overturn the score but mentioned that Fluminense will fight until the end: "In the first half, Flamengo created many chances. Until the expulsion, Fluminense was much better, and after the red card, it was about running like crazy and fighting to equalize. We proved last year that we can turn it around. It's tough, but silent work at this moment yields the best results."

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