Flamengo seek answers to recurring second-half dip after 3-0 win over Botafogo | OneFootball

Flamengo beat Botafogo 3-0 at the Maracanã, yet the tone turned inward as the squad addressed a recurring second-half dip. The repetition has raised concern at Ninho do Urubu.

The pattern also surfaced in the defeat to Cruzeiro in the Campeonato Brasileiro and in the win over the same opponents in the Libertadores last 16. According to Globo.com, early dominance has not become bigger leads, inviting trouble after the break.

Léo Ortiz welcomed the result but not the display, pointing to a poor first half-hour after the break. He felt Flamengo suffered too much, with an almost perfect first half followed by a drop they cannot afford.

He said the issue keeps recurring, that work is ongoing, and that chasing Palmeiras leaves little margin. Half-time reminders to stay switched on are not enough, he added, citing points lost to Cruzeiro.

Ayrton Lucas echoed the need for focus, admitting it is hard to sustain intensity for 90 minutes and that some chances were gifted. He stressed learning to suffer and finishing the game, with the three points paramount.

Leonardo Jardim noted the plan to start hard and the value of a deep bench. When only one goal follows many attempts, he said, opponents gain belief, react after half-time and it is not complacency.

After Palmeiras drew with Mirassol, the gap is four points. Flamengo host Mirassol at the Maracanã on Wednesday in a game in hand, then visit Remo on Sunday, and could go top depending on Palmeiras against Botafogo at Nilton Santos.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”