Flamengo is eliminated by Cruzeiro on penalties and says goodbye to the Brasileirão U-20

Flamengo's under-17 team achieved a convincing victory on Wednesday afternoon (3), beating América-MG 3-0 at Arena Vera Cruz, in Betim, Minas Gerais. With a strong offensive performance in the first 45 minutes , Mais Querido built the result that guaranteed them three important points in the 12th round of the Brazilian Under-17 Championship.

The Ninho Boys opened the scoring in the third minute, with Victor Hugo finishing with precision after a pass from Lucas Falcone. The pressure continued, and in the 15th minute, Rafinha doubled the lead with an assist from Gabriel Amâncio. Just before halftime, in the 42nd minute, João Vitor completed Rafinha's move and scored the third, solidifying the red-and-black team's dominance in the first half.

WITH 20 POINTS FROM FLAMENGO

With the result, Daniel Franklin's team reached 20 points and moved up two places in the standings , now occupying eighth place, the last place in the qualifying zone for the next stage of the tournament. This was Mengão 's sixth victory in the championship.

The team returns to action on August 6th, facing Fortaleza at José Bastos Padilha Stadium in Gávea. The team hopes to maintain its momentum and cement its place among the leaders of the national youth competition.

LINEUP AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE GAME

Flamengo started the match with : Eduardo Clasen, Diego Guimarães, Daniel Monteiro, Levy Dias, Gabriel Amâncio, Rafael Henrique, Rogério Araujo, Lucas Falcone, Guilherme Ivo, João Vitor and Victor Hugo. On the bench were: Gabriel Werneck, João Victor, Pedro Pinho, Fábio Esteves, Heitor Fairbancks, Enzo Pinheiro, João Ricardo, Matheus Tiago, Kaio Gomes, Davi Waisman and Emanuel Silva.

Flamengo's planning to strengthen its youth teams continues at a fast pace. This Monday (27), the club agreed to sign 17-year-old left-back João Carlos , who has played for teams such as Vasco and Botafogo. The information was released by digital influencer Guilherme Flazoeiro.

João Carlos has signed a youth development contract with the red-and-black club, although the duration of the contract has not been revealed. The young athlete arrives at Ninho do Urubu to join Flamengo 's under-17 squad , which is competing in the Brazilian Championship.

JOÃO CARLOS STAND OUT AT VASCO

Revealed by Vasco's under-15 team in 2023, João Carlos was quickly promoted to the under-17 team after strong performances. The following year, he transferred to Botafogo, where he gained even more visibility. In just nine matches, he scored four goals and was promoted to the black and white under-17 team.

In 2024, despite being just 17 years old, João Carlos played for Botafogo's under-20 team. He also competed in the Copa Rio and the Campeonato Carioca U-17, making 19 appearances and scoring five goals in these competitions. His impressive performances caught the attention of Mengão's youth academy, which added him to the squad.

AND THE MAIN TEAM?

After returning to the top of the Brasileirão, Flamengo returned on Monday afternoon (28) , at Ninho do Urubu, and began preparations for the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil. Mengão faces Atlético-MG this Thursday (31), at 9:30 pm, at Maracanã, for the first leg. The return leg will be played on August 6 at Arena MRV.

Flamengo U-20 put on a real show this Friday (18), beating Bayer Leverkusen 5-1 in a friendly match held at Gávea. The dominant performance drew attention not only for the large score, but also for the quality of the red-black squad, which was praised by Ramon Menezes, coach of the Brazilian U-20 team , present in the stands.

Ramon Menezes, from the Brazilian U-20 team: "Flamengo is a hotbed of great players"

"We already know all these players. Today was a great opportunity to observe them. Iago, Léo Nannetti, Lucas Furtado, João Souza, Rayan Lucas, Matheus Gonçalves, Lorran ... Flamengo is a breeding ground for great players. The club's youth academy always offers us plenty of options," said Ramon.

FLAMENGO'S TEAM TEAM MADE THE DIFFERENCE

The coach also commented on the match's context and the team's chemistry: "It was a good game. Bayer, still in preseason, rotated their squad a lot and gave everyone space. Flamengo , with a team that's been playing together for some time, showed it on the field. The boys repeated what they did in the Brazilian Championship . There were changes—Matheus Gonçalves and Cleiton started—but the group is very cohesive," he added.

DOMAIN FROM THE BEGINNING

The red-and-black team gave their opponent no chance and dominated the match from the opening minutes. Lorran opened the scoring in the second minute , and the second goal came shortly after, with Arthur scoring an own goal in the tenth minute. In the 39th minute, Matheus Gonçalves extended the lead to 3-0.

Even before half-time, Pedro Leão scored his goal in the 49th minute, and at the start of the second half, Gusttavo Sousa scored a great lob, making it 5-0. Bayer Leverkusen only managed to reduce the deficit at the end of the match , with Montrell Culbreath, after a cross from Alex Grimaldo.