Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Flamengo showed their dominance in a resounding 4-1 win over Vasco at the Maracanã on Monday night, further deepening their rivals’ crisis in the Campeonato Brasileiro.
The red-and-black’s rout was built up mainly in the first half, with a goal from Pulgar in the 14th minute. Gerson added to the score in the 16th minute, further adding to the hosts’ woes. Pedro made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute, deflecting a shot from Ayrton Lucas into the net. Shortly afterwards, Flamengo closed out the first half with Aryton Lucas making it 4-0 in the 45th minute. Vasco managed to convert a penalty in the second half through Jair (58′), but it was a mere consolation.
During the match, Vasco fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the team, especially with coach Maurício Barbieri. Shouts of “shameless team” echoed from the stands, accompanied by calls for the coach to leave the club. Flamengo’s victory not only solidified their position in the league, but also inflicted more pain on their rivals, intensifying the pressure on Vasco and Barbieri.
With this emphatic victory, Flamengo moved up to 5th place in the standings with 16 points. Vasco, meanwhile, are in penultimate place with just six points and have not won for eight games, the last four of which have been defeats. The next games for both teams include Vasco taking on Internacional at Beira-Rio on Sunday, while Flamengo face Gremio at Maracanã on the same day. However, Flamengo also have a crucial Libertadores game against Racing on Thursday in Rio.