Flamengo squander second chance to reel in Palmeiras, gap could grow on Sunday | OneFootball

Flamengo squandered a second chance to close on Palmeiras after Saturday’s 2-1 reverse, and could see the leaders pull further clear on Sunday. The reigning champions are still chasing top spot in the 2026 Brasileirão.

According to Globo.com, Flamengo still have a game in hand against Mirassol, but it may not be enough on its own to reach the summit.

In May, a head-to-head at the Maracanã was a golden opportunity. Palmeiras had 35 points, four ahead of Flamengo, and victory would have cut the gap to one. Instead, after Carrascal was sent off, Leonardo Jardim’s side lost 3-0.

On Saturday at the Mineirão, they lost 2-1 to Cruzeiro after leading, conceding in the last minute, which left them on 45 points.

Samuel Lino lamented the outcome, saying the team were at fault through lapses in concentration. He noted they turned a Libertadores tie at the Maracanã on Wednesday after the break, but accepted they could not repeat it and credited Cruzeiro.

Palmeiras have 48 points, three more than Flamengo, and host Vasco, second-bottom on 22, at 16:00 Brasília time at Nubank Parque. If they win, the lead would stretch to 6 with 14 rounds remaining, leaving Flamengo needing their rivals to slip.

Source: Globo.com

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