Atlético-MG domina segundo tempo e vence Flamengo no Maracanã
So, here’s what happened last night in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16 between Flamengo and Atlético Mineiro — and let’s just say, it wasn’t exactly a night to remember for the home crowd at the Maracanã.
Flamengo came into this game missing some key names — Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique weren’t even listed, and Jorginho started on the bench. Despite having more of the ball, the team struggled to turn possession into real danger, and Atlético soube aproveitar. The visiting side, coached by Cuca, came out more organized after the break, made the right adjustments, and walked away with a 1–0 victory — a valuable away result that now lets them play for a draw at home in the return leg.
Now, the first half? It was honestly a bit of a drag for the first 30 minutes. Very little happened, both sides were conservative, and neither really threatened. Flamengo had a bit more of the ball, but Atlético's disciplined marking really limited their options. Things only started to open up closer to halftime, when Éverton Araújo hit the crossbar and Éverson, Atlético’s goalkeeper, had to come up with a big save after a nice one-two between Pedro and Plata.
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Atlético’s defense deserves a lot of credit. Players like Saravia and Alan Franco were relentless in their marking. Even when Flamengo managed to work their way into dangerous areas, the final ball was lacking or the finish just wasn’t there.
In the second half, though, Atlético Mineiro came out sharper and more aggressive. They took advantage of Flamengo’s disorganized press and began creating more chances early on. Then came the key moment — a major mistake by Léo Pereira on a risky ball out from the back was punished immediately. Cuello jumped on it, stole possession, and finished perfectly in the corner past Rossi. That one slip proved costly.
Filipe Luís tried to shake things up with early subs — debuting Samuel Lino, Emerson Royal, and bringing in Wallace Yan. And honestly, the new faces brought some energy. Samuel Lino in particular nearly scored a beautiful solo goal and had a cross that almost turned into an assist, but luck just wasn’t on Flamengo’s side. One of his efforts even hit the post, and he later had a goal disallowed for offside.
By the end, Flamengo threw everything forward, but Atlético held strong. The visitors managed to resist the pressure and lock in the win — a massive result for them. Now Flamengo will need to win in Belo Horizonte if they want to stay alive in the competition.
It wasn’t a great night for the Rubro-Negro, but the tie is still open. Let’s see what happens next week at the Arena MRV.
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