After poor start, Fluminense improve after break but lose to Flamengo | OneFootball

Fluminense were defeated 2-1 by Flamengo this Sunday at the Maracanã in a Brasileirão derby. After a difficult start, the Tricolor responded in the second half, pulled one back through Savarino, and pushed for an equalizer, but could not avoid defeat in the derby.

How did the match go?

First half

Just six minutes in, midfielder Lucho Acosta had to leave the pitch on a stretcher after being struck by the ball. A minute later, Flamengo opened the scoring. Pedro took advantage of a poor pass out from the back by Fábio and scored from very long range, just beyond midfield.

The Rubro-Negro side kept up the pressure. In the 12th minute, Gonzalo Plata shot, the ball deflected off a defender and was heading in, but Fábio made a great save to prevent the second goal. Unable to get their game going, Fluminense struggled to play out from the back and build attacks.

Unable to respond offensively and under pressure for much of the first half, Fluminense went into the break trailing in the derby.

Second half

Just four minutes into the second half, Plata burst forward at pace and forced Fábio into another great save, denying Flamengo a second. Two minutes later, however, Pedro doubled Flamengo’s lead by finishing with his chest after a cross from the left.

Even after conceding, Fábio remained one of the standout players by stopping other clear chances from the opposition. In the 19th minute, Luis Zubeldía made changes by bringing on Savarino and Rodrigo Castillo. Fluminense began to grow into the match and, in the 76th minute, Savarino capitalized on a defensive mistake to pull one back.

In the closing stages, the Tricolor pushed for an equalizer, created good chances, and nearly leveled the derby through two headers from Castillo and a blocked effort from Guilherme Arana in stoppage time.

Still in added time, Carrascal was sent off for kicking a Fluminense player.

How does it stand?

With the derby defeat to Flamengo, Fluminense dropped two places and ended the match in fourth place in the Brasileirão. Their rivals moved past the Tricolor, reached the same 20 points in the table, and took over second place, with a game in hand.

Now, Fluminense turn their attention to the Copa Libertadores. The team return to action on Wednesday, when they face Independiente Rivadavia in the second round of the competition’s group stage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.