OneFootball
·16 February 2025
📽 Flamengo beats Vasco in penultimate round of Cariocão 2025

In partnership with
Yahoo sportsOneFootball
·16 February 2025
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
In the Maracanã, Flamengo beat Vasco 2-0, on Saturday (15), in a match valid for the 10th and penultimate round of Cariocão 2025.
The Gávea team has not lost to their rival since 2023. Since then, there have been eight games of invincibility.
The first half was a true thrashing by the Rubro-Negro, who controlled the ball possession and had a lot of offensive volume.
The performance of the cross-and-anchor team, on the other hand, was embarrassing. They only defended with three volantes, had no offensive capability, and even in the "long ball" forward, they lost the first and second ball.
With Flamengo constantly attacking in search of the goal, goalkeeper Léo Jardim and striker Vegetti - two pillars of the Vasco team - argued harshly.
From so much pressure, Flamengo opened the scoring from a penalty.
Plata entered dribbling in the area and, when finishing, was touched by Zuccarello from behind. Bruno Henrique (30') - the King of Classics - kicked hard into the corner of Léo Jardim and opened the scoring for the Rubro-Negro.
Gonzalo Plata almost extended the lead with a header, after a bad mistake by Léo Jardim trying to cut off the cross from Varela, but the goal was disallowed due to offside by the Uruguayan full-back in the play.
After the interval, however, Vasco "appeared" for the Classic of the Millions.
Just five minutes in, Tchê Tchê unleashed a long-range shot and forced Rossi to defend.
The best cross-and-anchor chance came when Pumita Rodríguez crossed from the right sideline, and Vegetti (17') jumped higher than the entire Rubro-Negro defense. But the Argentine's header hit the crossbar of Rossi.
But after 20 minutes of the final stage, the Vasco's breath ended. And the quality of Flamengo made itself present.
Michael came out injured at 23 minutes, and Everton Cebolinha, who entered in his place, extended the lead at the end of the game, finishing perfectly from outside the area, in the corner of Léo Jardim.
Once again, at the end of the match, a confusion between the players. Now, the "time closed" between Vegetti and Wesley.
But, unlike the last classic against Botafogo, the "let it go" people entered the action quickly and the confusion was not serious.
In the stands of the Maracanã on the Vasco side, a small confusion with the fans, and the police took action.
With the victory, Flamengo reached 20 points and remained isolated in the lead of Cariocão 2025.
Even though Volta Redonda (17 points) still plays on Sunday (16), the goal difference of 15 x 1 leaves the Rubro-Negro with "one hand" on the Taça Guanabara.
Vasco, on the other hand, remained with 14 points and in fourth place.
But, as Sampaio Corrêa (13 points), Nova Iguaçu (13 points), Maricá (12 points), and Fluminense (11 points) still play in the round, the Cross-and-Anchors may end up leaving the classification zone for the semifinals.
Flamengo returns to the field next Saturday (22), when they host Maricá, at the Maracanã, in a match valid for the last round of Cariocão.
Vasco, who ends their participation in this first phase of the state tournament by playing the classic against Botafogo, at São Januário, on Sunday (23), debuts in the Copa do Brasil next Tuesday (18), when they visit União Rondonópolis.