Flamengo beat Vitória, one draw from Copa do Brasil progress | OneFootball

Even with some players rested, Flamengo dominated Vitória

The first step has been taken. In the first leg of the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo beat Vitória 2-1 at the Maracanã this Wednesday (22). Now, the Rubro-Negro side can even draw to qualify for the round of 16.

Evertton Araújo opened the scoring, Erick leveled it, and Pedro sealed the final score. Flamengo missed the chance to put the tie to bed, as they wasted plenty of chances. As a result, Mengão will ‘only’ have the advantage of playing for a draw at Barradão on May 14.

HOW WAS THE FIRST HALF?

Flamengo started on the front foot, as usual in matches at the Maracanã. Vitória could not get past midfield, so a goal from Mengo felt like a matter of time. In the ninth minute, Evertton Araújo found space and unleashed a thunderbolt from outside the box. WHAT A GOAL! Fla 1-0.

However, Flamengo did not have much time to celebrate. In Vitória’s first attack, Ramon got to the byline and crossed. Léo Ortiz cleared poorly and the ball fell kindly to Erick, who smashed it home first time. So it was all square at the Maracanã after ten minutes.

The goal gave Vitória confidence, and they improved in the match and even enjoyed more possession for stretches. However, the visitors’ priority was defending, in the best ‘Jair Ventura style.’ Flamengo only threatened from aerial balls, like Royal’s header in the 20th minute, and from long-range shots, like Cebolinha’s in the 22nd.

On the other hand, Vitória waited for mistakes from Flamengo to attack. In the 23rd minute, Mengo left a huge gap in midfield, and the Bahia side took advantage on the counter. Zé Vitor got off a dangerous shot that forced Rossi to tip it out for a corner.

Again from a set piece, Flamengo nearly scored. In the 41st minute, after a corner into the box, Léo Ortiz headed goalward, Lucas Arcanjo parried it, and the ball still hit the post. Then in the 43rd, Luiz Araújo burst down the right and found Everton Cebolinha unmarked near the penalty spot, but the number 11 shot straight at the opposing goalkeeper.

Still, Cebolinha would do even worse in the 48th. The forward got free, one-on-one with Lucas Arcanjo, right on the edge of the six-yard box, but the keeper saved it with his foot. A chance that cannot be wasted in a knockout match.

HOW WAS THE SECOND HALF?

At halftime, Leonardo Jardim fixed a glaring problem from the first half: Flamengo had lost control of midfield in the opening period. So the coach took off De La Cruz and Everton Cebolinha, sending on Saúl and Arrascaeta. The changes worked quickly.

Just six minutes in, Arrascaeta played it to Bruno Henrique, and the forward sent the ball into the box. There, Pedro, in a great position, headed into the back of the net: Mengão 2-1 and the ‘Magnética’ erupts at the Maracanã!

In the 19th minute, the duo of Saúl and Arrascaeta combined. The Spaniard found the Uruguayan on the right. The number 10 unleashed a rocket, Lucas Arcanjo got fingertips to the ball, and it crashed against the crossbar, drawing a loud “uuuhhh” from the crowd.

In the 32nd minute, a scare. Ramon swung a free kick into the box, and Luan Candido put it into the net. However, the defender was clearly offside, and the goal was disallowed on the field without the need for VAR.

Flamengo’s missed-chance machine was still running! In the 35th minute, Saúl won the ball high up the pitch and set up Arrascaeta clean through inside the box. But the Uruguayan blasted it wide. In the closing moments, Mengo even tried to extend the lead, but without organization and with too many crosses. Final score: 2-1.

WHEN IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT MATCH?

Flamengo and Vitória will face each other again on May 14 at Barradão at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), with a place in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil on the line. Before that, though, Mengão have commitments in the Libertadores and the Brasileirão. So, Fla next play in the national league on Sunday (26) against Atlético-MG at Arena MRV at 8:30 p.m. (Brasília time).

MATCH DETAILS FLAMENGO 2-1 VITÓRIA Competition: Copa do Brasil, fifth round, first leg Venue: Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro Date: April 22, 2026 Goals: Evertton Araújo 9’/1st, Erick 10’/1st, Pedro 6’/2nd

Flamengo: Rossi, Emerson Royal, Danilo, Léo Ortiz and Ayrton Lucas; Evertton Araújo, De La Cruz and Luiz Araújo; Everton Cebolinha, Bruno Henrique and Pedro. Coach: Leonardo Jardim.

Vitória: Lucas Arcanjo, Nathan, Cacá, Luan Candido and Ramon; Caíque, Vítor and Martínez; Erick, Matheuzinho and Renê. Coach: Jair Ventura.

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