Soccer
29 Abr 2025 | 12:35 |
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Flamengo 's rout over Corinthians at Maracanã left no doubt about the strength of Tite's team. But what caught the attention of those who know the position the most was the performance of the red-and-black midfielder. And the one who summed up this dominance well was former midfielder and commentator Zé Elias.
Having emerged at Corinthians and played for the Brazilian national team, Zé Elias was full of praise when talking about the performance of Pulgar and De La Cruz, the duo that led the central sector in yet another memorable performance. “Pulgar’s performance is impressive,” said the former player, visibly impressed with the Chilean’s reading of the game and ability to anticipate. “There was one play where he made a sliding tackle before the opponent even touched the ball. I had already read the whole play.”
If you let Flamengo's midfield play, what happened against Corinthians happens”, said Zé Elias
Pulgar, by the way, has been a constant figure in post-match analysis. Against Corinthians, he had a 98% pass success rate – 52 attempts and 51 successes. He also won eight duels, made four tackles, one interception and even gave a decisive pass. In 'Sofascore', he received a score of 6.8, below what his performance indicates, but above the average for defensive midfielders in Brasileirão games.
If Pulgar was the watchdog, De La Cruz was the driving force. Tireless, dynamic and involved from start to finish, the Uruguayan completed 95% of his passes (69 of 73), created two clear chances and also excelled in long balls – he had five successful passes in six attempts . “De La Cruz, dynamic, participating the whole time in the game. Arrascaeta, intelligently, playing in the tight spaces, passing here, passing there... Are you going to let these guys play?”, asked Zé Elias, putting his finger on the sore spot about the space given up by Corinthians in the most decisive area of the field.
The connection between De La Cruz and Arrascaeta , in fact, has been a highlight since the arrival of the number 18. The South American duo alternates movements and creates numerical superiority between the opposing lines with ease. In Zé Elias' opinion, the midfield is the sector that dictates the rhythm of any team. And in the case of Flamengo, that is precisely where the team's strength lies. "If you let Flamengo's midfield play, what happened against Corinthians happens," he stated.
Mengão takes victory to the return game against the Argentines that takes place on the 25th, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at the Jorge Luis Hirschi stadium
18 Set 2025 | 23:24 |
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Flamengo defeated Argentina's Estudiantes 2-1 at the Maracanã Stadium . The red-and-black team decided the match in the first half with goals from Pedro and Varela. Mengão gave Estudiantes no time to breathe in Rio de Janeiro with a lightning goal.
Just 15 seconds in, Pedro capitalized on a pass from Plata, turned on his marker, and fired a left-footed shot to open the scoring. The quick goal undermined Argentina's strategy and galvanized the Rio de Janeiro team, who continued to press. A few minutes later, Ayrton Lucas crossed from the left and Varela hit a beautiful volley into Muslera's corner, extending the red-and-blacks' lead in the first half.
Even with a two-goal lead, Flamengo maintained control and nearly made it three with Pedro, whose shot was spectacularly saved by the Uruguayan goalkeeper. Estudiantes , for their part, barely threatened Rossi's goal and only managed to partially level the score in the final minutes of the first half . The feeling at Maracanã was that the 2-0 scoreline was a cheap one for the visitors.
In the second half, the pace dropped. Coach Eduardo Domínguez made substitutions, trying to give the Argentine team more momentum, but he ran into the red-and-black defense. The match was not without its tense moments, with cards for Saúl, Samuel Lino, and Alexis Castro, and Plata's sending-off after a second yellow card in a dispute with Facundo Rodríguez . At the end of the second half, Estudiantes scored in the 46th minute to leave the match open in Argentina.
With the 2-1 victory, Flamengo takes the lead in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores. The return leg is scheduled for the 25th, at 9:30 pm, at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium, in Argentina. Before that, the team led by Tite faces Vasco next Sunday (21), for the Brazilian Championship, again at Maracanã.
Striker scores after 14 seconds against Estudiantes, surpassing the records of former players and consolidating himself as one of the club's top scorers
18 Set 2025 | 22:53 |
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Forward Pedro needed just 14 seconds to open the scoring for Flamengo against Estudiantes in a Copa Libertadores quarterfinal match. The lightning strike became the Rubro-Negro's fastest goal in the competition's history , surpassing Gerson's record and also surpassing Lucas Paquetá's historic mark, which held the club's fastest goal in an official match.
Until then, Flamengo 's fastest goal in the Libertadores was Gerson's, who had scored after 56 seconds against Bolívar, in 2024. Even so, in the current edition of the tournament, Pedro's goal was the second fastest overall , behind only Artur's goal, from Botafogo, which shook the net against LDU after 13 seconds in the round of 16.
293 games
148 goals
35 assists
According to an investigation by Gazeta do Urubu, the club's board intends to renew the contracts of Filipe Luís and Arrascaeta in 2025. Pedro and goalkeeper Rossi are expected to have their contracts extended next season. Internally, there's no sign of the striker's dissatisfaction with the club.
After beating Estudiantes at Maracanã this Thursday (18), Mengão faces Vasco next Sunday (21), for the Brazilian Championship. The match takes place again at the Rio de Janeiro team's stadium.
The striker opens the scoring against Estudiantes at a packed Maracanã stadium, reaching his 150th goal in the red and black jersey and consolidating an important milestone in the Libertadores Cup
18 Set 2025 | 22:37 |
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Flamengo won an important chapter this Wednesday (18), in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores . After just 15 seconds, Pedro scored against Estudiantes at a packed Maracanã, opening the scoring for the Rio de Janeiro team. The goal not only guaranteed an initial advantage in the duel but also marked the striker's 150th goal with the red-black shirt , equaling Bebeto in eighth place among the greatest scorers in the club's history.
The goal against Argentina also represented Pedro's 26th for Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores, a figure that puts him behind only Gabigol, with 30 goals, in the club's all-time rankings in the tournament . Furthermore, the number 9 became the third-highest Brazilian scorer in the continental competition.
According to information obtained by Gazeta do Urubu, the club's management intends to renew the contracts of Filipe Luís and Arrascaeta in 2025. Pedro and goalkeeper Rossi are expected to have their contracts extended next season . Internally, there is no dissatisfaction surrounding the number 9.
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