Fluminense thrash Portuguesa and seal place in Carioca U20 semi-finals | OneFootball

Fluminense thrashed Portuguesa 4-0 and secured early qualification for the semifinals of the Campeonato Carioca Under-20. Even with an alternative lineup, the Xerém boys put in a great performance to beat Lusa at the Luso-Brasileiro stadium. The goals were scored by Paulinho (two), Kelwin, and Breno. With the result, Tricolor claimed its fourth straight win and moved to the top of Group A with 16 points.

How the match went

Kelwin, with a header, and Kaio Borges, from the right wing, started by threatening the home side, who conceded the first goal in the seventh minute, when Paulinho tried his luck from the edge of the box with class. Rodrigo also attempted a long-range shot but missed the target, until, in the 12th minute, Kelwin, already in a dangerous area, finished with a deflection to beat the goalkeeper.

Madiba, cutting inside to the right, tested the keeper, while Kauã Velon, like Kelwin, shot over the bar. In the 43rd minute, the attacking duo combined on a play that ended at Paulinho’s feet, and he kept at it, after being stopped by the defense, until he found the net again. The midfielder began the second half by trying another long-distance shot.

In the next chance, Kelwin struck the post, leaving the rebound for Arthur Henrique, who had come off the bench, and he nearly finished it. The Esquadrilha 07 forward had another one-on-one chance, but was denied by the goalkeeper. In the 21st minute, Paulinho came within inches of a hat-trick when he received a cross from the right by Kelwin.

After a great play and a scramble on the left, Breno, back from injury, sealed the rout. At the end, William Lopes, also brought on in the second half, hit the outside of the net with a powerful strike.

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