Arsenal sets price for Gabriel Jesus, striker being approached by Flamengo

Jorge Carrascal made history by scoring his first goal for Flamengo in a derby against Vasco da Gama at the Maracanã stadium. In his debut as a starter, the Colombian midfielder opened the scoring for the Flamengo team in the 11th minute of the first half . The player celebrated the feat and acknowledged the evenly matched score, which went into halftime tied at 1-1.

" I'm very happy with the first derby and to score for Flamengo. It's a source of pride and happiness . The match is very difficult; it's a tight derby. I believe we can come back stronger in the second half," Carrascal said before halftime.

MIDFIELDER'S GOAL

The goal came after a series of chances created by Flamengo . Cebolinha hit the crossbar with a shot from outside the box. Emerson Royal crossed from the rebound for Bruno Henrique to finish with his right foot. Goalkeeper Léo Jardim made the save, but Carrascal appeared on the rebound to tap in with his right foot.

CARRASCAL GAINS SPOT IN THE CAST

The start against Vasco was Carrascal's first since arriving at Flamengo . Signed for 12 million euros (around R$75 million), he replaced Arrascaeta and completed 45 minutes on the field for the first time , before that, his maximum had been 27 minutes against Vitória.

The Colombian had already provided an assist for Emerson Royal in the duel against Juventude , at Alfredo Jaconi, and the goal in the classic could give the athlete more confidence and minutes in the next matches.

Flamengo and Vasco met at Maracanã in the 24th round of the Brasileirão in a goalless draw. The Rio derby between the teams started with high intensity . Vasco pressed forward, forced mistakes, and created dangerous corners in the opening minutes.

Flamengo responded with quick transitions, particularly through Cebolinha. Carrascal opened the scoring in the 10th minute, capitalizing on a rebound after a great save by Léo Jardim, in a play that hit the crossbar and involved Bruno Henrique.

VASCÃO REACTS AND TIES

The Cruzmaltino team was undeterred by the red-and-black goal and maintained its attacking rhythm. Puma Rodríguez nearly equalized with a header saved by Rossi, which hit the post. Their persistence paid off in the 29th minute, when Rayan rose higher than the defense to take a corner kick from Philippe Coutinho and level the score . The first half ended 1-1, reflecting the equalization of the teams.

SECOND HALF HAS SUBSTITUTIONS

In the second half, both coaches made significant changes to their teams. Flamengo stepped up their attack with the introduction of Pedro and Arrascaeta, while Vasco adjusted their defense. Saúl Ñíguez hit the crossbar with a shot from outside the box, and Pedro forced Léo Jardim into a great save. Luiz Araújo and Samuel Lino also created danger, but Vasco's defense managed to prevent the comeback. The match remained evenly balanced until the final minutes.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Flamengo remained in first place in the Brasileirão with 51 points, ahead of Palmeiras with 49. The team's next duel will be against Estudiantes, next Thursday (25), in the second leg of the Libertadores where Mengão won 2-1 in the first leg.

Gabigol's fate has once again stirred up the Brazilian soccer scene. A reserve at Cruzeiro and dissatisfied with his reduced playing time, the 31-year-old forward could leave Belo Horizonte in 2026. Journalist Jorge Nicola's investigation indicates that the club is already considering a possible transfer.

Until recently, Corinthians emerged as a strong candidate to sign Gabigol. Under Augusto Melo's management, the striker was considered a high-impact reinforcement, and his cost-benefit ratio was seen as more attractive than international names like Memphis Depay. Furthermore, there was hope that the Brazilian could become an idol for the club's fans.

With Osmar Stabile's arrival as president, the situation changed. People close to the new director reveal that he's not keen on investing heavily in Gabigol , preferring younger names and medium- and long-term projects. This stance has cooled Corinthians' interest in the player.

CRUZEIRO ASSESSES TRANSFER

Gabigol arrived at Cruzeiro for free after leaving Flamengo, but he hasn't been able to replicate the prominence he had in Rio de Janeiro. Even though he's not a regular starter, he's played 35 games, scored 12 goals, and provided four assists for Raposa . The player himself has expressed dissatisfaction: "I'm looking for minutes, and he (Leonardo Jardim) knows that," he said in an interview after scoring against Bahia.

GABIGOL FOR FLAMENGO

Former Flamengo player Gabigol left Rio de Janeiro at the end of 2024 after losing his place, despite being instrumental in historic victories such as the 2019 and 2022 Copa Libertadores , scoring goals in both finals. A national idol, the striker is now trying to rebuild his career in Belo Horizonte.