Not even at Flamengo: Gabigol scores a first for Santos in Sul-Americana | OneFootball

Gabigol helped Santos in the draw with San Lorenzo (ARG) in the Copa Sudamericana

Gabigol scored 161 goals wearing the Flamengo shirt. However, none from free kicks. This Wednesday (20), the forward found the net from a set piece in Santos’ 2-2 draw against San Lorenzo (ARG) in the Copa Sudamericana, at Vila Belmiro.

HOW DID THE GOAL HAPPEN?

The Santos striker did get a huge helping hand from the wall, to be fair. In first-half stoppage time, the former Flamengo player asked to take a free kick. On the attempt, the ball came off weak and low, but the Argentinians in the wall opened their legs, catching the San Lorenzo goalkeeper by surprise, and he reacted too late.

In the celebration, Gabigol did his traditional celebration, famous among the ‘hermanos’ since 2019, when the forward scored twice against River Plate (ARG) in the final of the Copa Libertadores. Gabi’s play, however, did not prevent the embarrassment for the home side, who had gone 2-0 up (the other goal was scored by Gabriel Bontempo). Mathias De Ritis and Rodrigo Auzmendi equalized for the Argentinians in the closing stretch of the match.

WHAT WERE GABIGOL’S GOALS FOR FLAMENGO LIKE?

In five years at Flamengo, Gabigol never scored from a free kick. Also, goals from outside the box, like this Wednesday’s (20) for Santos, are a rarity in the striker’s repertoire. At Mengão, for example, there were only eight from long range.

SO, WILL IT INSPIRE HIS FORMER FLAMENGO TEAMMATES?

Flamengo fans hope Gabigol’s free-kick goal inspires the team’s set-piece takers this Wednesday (20), starting at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), against Estudiantes (ARG). The ball rolls at the Maracanã for the fifth round of Group A of the Copa Libertadores.

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