Atlético-MG faces Flamengo in search of a historic turnaround in the Copa do Brasil - says journalist

On Thursday night (4), the Brazilian National Team beat Chile 3-0, at Maracanã , in a duel valid for the penultimate round of the South American Qualifiers. Already qualified for the 2026 World Cup, the team led by Carlo Ancelotti played its third match under the new coach and once again excited the fans.

Estêvão, Paquetá, and Bruno Guimarães scored the winning goals in front of more than 57,000 fans at the stadium . The result moved Brazil up to second place in the standings, now with 28 points. Before kickoff, singer Ivete Sangalo entertained the crowd with a 15-minute pocket show.

STÊVÃO OPENS THE WAY TO VICTORY

Brazil started at a strong pace and nearly opened the scoring after just two minutes, with Gabriel Magalhães' header saved by Vigouroux. Casemiro even managed to find the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

The persistence resulted in a goal in the 37th minute, after a quick play between João Pedro and Douglas Santos. Raphinha shot, the goalkeeper rebounded, and Estêvão, almost on the line, scored with a bicycle kick. This was the youngster's first goal for the national team, bringing the crowd to life at the Maracanã stadium.

PAQUETÁ AND BRUNO GUIMARÃES SHINE

After the break, the Yellows kept up the pressure, but Chile began to react. Ancelotti, alert, made substitutions that changed the course of the match. Luiz Henrique came on well and, in the 26th minute, made a run down the left and crossed perfectly for Paquetá to head in the second goal, his first attempt of the match.

Shortly after, in the 30th minute, Bruno Guimarães took advantage of a rebound from Luiz Henrique's shot that hit the crossbar and scored the third. The fans gave a standing ovation to the striker's performance, which gave new momentum to the attack. With the victory, Brazil remained firmly in second place in the Qualifiers and will conclude its participation next Tuesday (9), against Bolivia, in El Alto, a city located at an altitude of over 4,000 meters.

The 17th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers holds strong emotions, especially for Flamengo fans. This Thursday (4), Brazil and Chile face each other at Maracanã, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time). One of the names that could stand out is striker Samuel Lino, called up to represent the Brazilian National Team.

The match will be broadcast on Globo , on free-to-air TV, with narration by Luis Roberto and commentary by Caio Ribeiro and Roger Flores . On SporTV, on a closed channel, the narration will be by Luiz Carlos Júnior, with commentary by Lédio Carmona and Paulo Nunes.

FOLLOW LIVE ON YOUTUBE

PROBABLE LINEUPS

Brazil: Alisson; Wesley, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos; Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães; Estevão, Raphinha, Gabriel Martinelli and João Pedro.

Chile: Vigouroux; Hormazabal, Paulo Díaz, Maripán and Suazo; Echeverría, Ignacio Saavedra and Cabral; Osorio, Aravena and Brereton.

Striker Bruno Henrique was punished by the Superior Court of Sports Justice this Thursday (29), with a 12-game suspension and a fine of R$60,000. The decision, valid for national competitions, does not prevent the athlete from playing in the Libertadores at this time , but there is an expectation that the case will be forwarded to FIFA, which could increase the effects of the sanction.

The sentence handed down by the Superior Court of Justice (STJD) affects competitions such as the Brazilian Championship and the Brazilian Cup, limiting the striker's participation in the national competition. However, for now, he remains available to play in the Copa Libertadores . If the court requests an extension from FIFA and the governing body of football complies, Bruno Henrique will also be sidelined for the international competition.

Flamengo 's board confirmed that it will appeal the decision, seeking a reduction in the penalty imposed on the number 27. There is the possibility of requesting a suspensive effect, which could allow the player to attend matches until the appeal is analyzed by the STJD Plenary, the highest court in the sporting sphere.

TRIAL HELD REMOTELY

Bruno Henrique, a defendant in both sports and civil courts, was not present in person at the trial, held in Rio de Janeiro. The striker testified remotely, as his presence at the court was not mandatory. He was also on a four-day leave granted by the club during the FIFA International Day.

UNDERSTAND THE ACCUSATION OF MANIPULATION

The case investigates the suspicion that Bruno Henrique had informed in advance about the yellow card he received against Santos, in a match held at the Mané Garrincha Stadium, in Brasília, on November 1, 2023. According to the investigations, the information would have benefited his brother, Wander, who passed on the data to third parties linked to sports betting.