Flamengo crush Vasco, claim first Carioca win and rise up table | OneFootball

Flamengo ends Wednesday (21) in third place in Group B of the Carioca

In the first match with the professional team, the first victory! In the debut of Filipe Luís and company in the Campeonato Carioca, Flamengo defeated Vasco 1-0 this Wednesday (21), at Maracanã, in the third round. With this result, Mengão leaves the bottom of Group B and climbs to third place.

Jorge Carrascal, with a beautiful shot from outside the box, scored for Flamengo. Now, the Rubro-Negro has four points: a win over Vasco, a draw with Portuguesa, and losses to Bangu and Volta Redonda. Therefore, qualification for the quarterfinals is well underway. 

HOW WAS THE FIRST HALF?

Even without much match rhythm, Flamengo started the match at full throttle! Just five minutes in, two good chances. After a corner kick, Léo Pereira chested the ball, forcing Léo Jardim to make a great save. Right after, Daniel Sales crossed into the box, and Plata narrowly missed the post with a header.

It was all Mengo! At 14 minutes, Emerson Royal delivered a perfect cross to Everton Cebolinha, who headed powerfully, but Jardim saved again, sending it for a corner. On the corner, Erick Pulgar rose high, but sent it over the goal.

In a rare counterattack, Vasco created their best chance so far. At 18 minutes, Paulo Henrique sprinted and left GB one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The striker got past Rossi, but also missed the goal, just wide of the right post. 

Flamengo had a problem to overcome: Léo Jardim! That’s because the Vasco goalkeeper made another save at 21 minutes. Emerson Royal got to the byline and crossed to Bruno Henrique. The King of Derbies headed it down as the textbook says, but the keeper saved once again. 

Afterwards, Flamengo slowed the pace a bit, but still maintained total control of the derby. No big chances were created in the final minutes, as the Rubro-Negro faltered at the finish. But the team ended the first half dominating, with 60% possession and 13 to 1 in shots.

HOW WAS THE SECOND HALF?

At halftime, Filipe Luís made two changes: Daniel Sales and Bruno Henrique came off, Alex Sandro and Pedro came on. And the duo brought luck to Flamengo. Soon after, at five minutes, Cauan Barros committed a very violent foul on Carrascal and was shown a straight red card.

If with 11 against 11 Flamengo was already dominant, with one more player the goal was just a matter of time. At 11 minutes, Everton Cebolinha almost broke the deadlock with an individual play, but hit the side netting. 

The net finally shook to break the deadlock at 23 minutes. After a cross into the box, Piton cleared poorly, and Carrascal struck first time from outside the box with rare precision. The ball even kissed the post before going in. GOAL FOR MENGÃO!

Soon after, at 25′, Samuel Lino, who had come on for Everton Cebolinha, made an exceptional individual play and, once again, Léo Jardim made the save. The Vasco goalkeeper was on fire! After a play by Pedro at 33′, Plata received and unleashed a rocket. But, guess what? Another beautiful save from the rival keeper.

At 39 minutes, Pedro received the ball in the box and was one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, his shot was deflected by defender Robert Renan, and the ball went just wide of Jardim’s post. The number 9 even hit the side netting at 40′, after a beautiful pass from Léo Pereira. 

WHAT IS FLAMENGO'S NEXT MATCH?

Flamengo returns to the field next Sunday (25), against Fluminense, for the fourth round of the Campeonato Carioca. The match kicks off at 6pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã, with full coverage by Coluna do Fla, who will be at the Sacred Temple of football.

MATCH SHEETFLAMENGO 1X0 VASCOCompetition: Campeonato Carioca, third roundVenue: Maracanã Stadium, Rio de JaneiroDate: January 21, 2026Goal: Carrascal 23/2nd

Flamengo: Rossi; Royal, Vitão, Léo Pereira and Daniel Sales; Pulgar, Evertton Araújo and Carrascal; Plata, Everton Cebolinha and Bruno Henrique. Coach: Filipe Luís.

Vasco: Léo Jardim, Paulo Henrique, Cuesta, Robert Renan and Lucas Piton; Barros, Thiago Mendes and Coutinho; Andrés Gómez, Nuno Moreira and/or GB. Coach: Fernando Diniz.

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