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Coach Roger Machado left Maracanã with a different view of Flamengo's 1-0 victory over Internacional in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores Round of 16. Despite Flamengo's extensive possession and numerous chances , the coach stated that Flamengo controlled the match and already projected a different return leg, banking on home advantage and the team's poise.

Roger Machado on the game at Beira-Rio: "Flamengo will use their advantage, denying us our field"

"I'll analyze the game later; I can't make a quick diagnosis. The first-half strategy partially worked because we didn't take good care of the ball. We'll correct the set pieces and make adjustments. At home, playing the way we do, we'll be in a different position . Flamengo will use their advantage, denying us space and looking for the back of the defense. We'll need to have our defensive process and transition control very well adjusted to avoid counterattacks," said Roger Machado.

SECOND HALF MAY BE A SIGN

The coach expects a game more similar to the second half at Maracanã, when Inter had more possession and had more shots than Flamengo (4-2), although without creating many chances. The team's quick possession in the first 20 minutes of the second half was favored by the opponent's passing errors , but Colorado was unable to replicate its dominance of the first half. Flamengo even had a clear chance with Luiz Araújo, saved by Rochet, and evened the scoreline late on.

HINDSIGHT INDICATES THE OPPOSITE

Despite Roger's interpretation, Flamengo is unlikely to adopt a strategy of sitting back and exploiting counterattacks at Beira-Rio, at least initially. The team's hallmark is imposing its style of play on the road as well. In its last three away matches—against Atlético-MG, Ceará, and Red Bull Bragantino— Flamengo had more possession and shots on goal , earning two wins and a draw in regulation time, despite being eliminated from the Copa do Brasil.

The season's record reinforces this trend: 13 wins, six draws and only two losses away from home, with 33 goals scored and 10 conceded . The first proof of this test comes this Sunday (17) when Flamengo goes to Porto Alegre to face Internacional, but this time for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship. The match will be at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) at Beira-Rio.

Flamengo completely dominated the first half, but showed a drop in performance in the second half in the 1-0 victory over Internacional , this Wednesday (13), at Maracanã, in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Libertadores . For coach Filipe Luís, the explanation is simple: individual technical errors.

Filipe Luís on Flamengo's second half: "We didn't come back different, but Inter came back"

"The first half was excellent. The game plan worked perfectly, and we had plenty of scoring opportunities. Unfortunately, or fortunately, we only scored one goal and maintained our lead. We didn't come back any different, but Inter did. I believe a lot of it was due to individual technical errors, which took away our dominance and control ," the coach assessed.

Filipe explained that the mistakes caused the team to become disorganized and open up more than necessary: "These errors forced us to run more, to transition, and to leave the team spaced out. Every time we recovered the ball, we were extremely defensive , lacking the patience to establish our structure . We couldn't reorganize, and this dragged on until the end. Even so, we created clear scoring chances," he added.

Despite the drop in performance, the coach emphasized that the opponent barely threatened and that the advantage, although minimal, keeps the tie open: " Inter didn't create any chances, we had more . We went 1-0 up and we're going with that small advantage. Nothing is decided; it's completely open. We're going into the second leg to win," he concluded.

HOW WAS THE GAME?

Flamengo suffocated Internacional in the first half, opening the scoring in the 27th minute when Bruno Henrique headed in a corner kick from Luiz Araújo . The lead could have been greater, as the team had eight shots before halftime. In the second half, that number dropped to just two shots.

NEXT APPOINTMENT

Before the return of the Libertadores, Flamengo and Internacional meet again in the Brasileirão. The duel takes place this Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm (Brasília time) , at Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre, for the 20th round. Mengão is the leader of the competition with 40 points. Colorado is in 11th place.

Flamengo left Maracanã, this Wednesday (13), with a 1-0 victory over Internacional , in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores. Despite the triumph, the slim score at home raised questions about the absence of Arrascaeta , suspended due to the accumulation of cards. In the post-match press conference, coach Filipe Luís spoke about the importance of the number 10 and explained the choice of the duo Bruno Henrique and Gonzalo Plata.

Filipe Luís on Arrascaeta, Flamengo's number 10: "Best player in Brazil"

"I always think about the game plan and what challenges the opponent will pose. Bruno and Plata, who played today, also played together in the Super Cup final and played an extraordinary match. They have a very good social and emotional relationship, and neither is irreplaceable. But we were talking, along with Kaio Jorge, about the best player in Brazil, Arrascaeta. We have to get the most out of him and keep him fresh to perform at the level he's been performing ," said Filipe.

FELT ABSENCE

Suspended after receiving yellow cards against Deportivo Táchira, Central Córdoba, and LDU Quito, Arrascaeta was ruled out of the match. This season, the Uruguayan has 14 goals and nine assists , playing a key role in the attack.

THE GOAL OF THE NIGHT

Flamengo controlled the first half and opened the scoring with Bruno Henrique, who headed in a corner kick from Luiz Araújo . However, in the second half, the team's performance dropped and they held on to only a minimal lead.

SCENARIO FOR CLASSIFICATION

The decisive clash will be next Wednesday (20), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio . Flamengo advances with a draw, while Internacional needs to win by two goals to qualify in normal time. If the team from Rio Grande do Sul wins by just one goal, the spot will be decided on penalties.

Before that, the teams will face each other again this Sunday (17), at 6:30 pm, for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship , again in Porto Alegre. Mengão is the leader of the competition with 40 points, three more than Cruzeiro, second place, in addition to having one game less than the Minas Gerais club.