The difference between Palmeiras and any other Brazilian team when that team is focused and playing seriously is huge. In the 2022 Paulista final, the same thing had already happened.
São Paulo won at Morumbi by 3-1 and in the second game he was run over in less than 30 minutes. A team like Palmeiras doesn’t miss two decisive games in a row and demonstrated that right away.
Gabriel Menino, who last week played very poorly, unfocused, was the guy in the first half, scoring the first two goals and making a great pass for Roni to finish and Endrick to take the rebound to score the third goal for Palmeiras
The highlight of this first stage was, without a doubt, Gabriel Menino. At 15 minutes, he hit a free-kick on the wall, but had a quick reaction, catching the first strong rebound with no chance for goalkeeper Ygor Vinhas.
In the 27th minute, after a fantastic play by Dudu, who bent the side and crossed for Gabriel Menino to score the second goal again, only now with a header.
He has already scored four goals in decisive games that year, 2023. Back in January, he had already scored two in the 4-3 victory over Flamengo in the Super Cup final.
Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras was left in the first half and ran over Água Santa.
The second half was much slower, not least because it would be unlikely that Diadema’s team would be able to reverse the result in the middle of Allianz Parque.
Abel took the opportunity to make several changes, including the addition of Flaco Lopez, who had already scored a great goal in the defeat there in La Paz against Bolívar.
He entered and scored another beautiful goal this time, in the Paulistão final, being an important part of that São Paulo title.
After the Verdão show ended, I went to Maracanã to see what was going to happen at the FLA-FLU.
The Fluminense team had a spectacular first half and the biggest difference between the teams is clear: While in Fluminense who creates the moves, who thinks, who reads the game is Paulo Henrique Ganso, on the side of Gávea, who tries to do this function It’s David Luiz. And there is no way to compete.
Another big difference on the bench, because you can’t compare Fernando Diniz’s vision of football with Vítor Pereira’s.
It is impossible not to highlight Marcelo’s presence in the technical part, experience, respect and leadership on the field, not to mention that he scored a great goal.
Another highlight is the ever-present Germán Cano, scoring again in his own way, with just one touch of the ball, after a brilliant assist from Ganso.
Fluminense took the difference of two goals in less than 35 minutes, apart from the ball, because they could have scored 3 or 4 goals and killed the game.
It was a showdown of one organized team against another that looked like a bunch of lost players. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Flamengo’s team being completely dominated as it was in that first half.
Flamengo returns changed, leaving Gabriel and Léo Pereira and entering Everton Ribeiro and Matheus França, but little has changed.
He attacked a little more at first, but before 10 minutes Fabrício Bruno put his hand on the ball inside the area with VAR calling and the referee marking.
Cano hit, barely facilitating goalkeeper Santos’ defense, but on the rebound, the top scorer went there and scored the third for the Laranjeiras team.
But it was too easy and, soon after, the number 5 Alexander scored a great goal and took the game to 4-0 for Fluminense.
First, where is Gabriel’s support for Vitor Pereira?
Why didn’t he help out during technical time like he did last Sunday?
Is that “honest” eye-to-eye talk gone?
Was the environment not good?
What will Vítor Pereira’s defenders justify this time?
It was not just the football presented by Flamengo that was scandalous, but also the attitude of the players.
If anyone had any doubt that the atmosphere was terrible in Gávea, the race was live this Sunday (9).
Congratulations to Fluminense who gave a lesson in football, seriousness, commitment, group unity to Flamengo, which has had none of that since the beginning of the year.
Flamengo’s board is largely responsible for this mess, this lack of respect for the Red-Black Nation.
Marcos Braz is the great symbol of this huge failure in three months. He has lost everything so far: the Super Cup, eliminated in the semifinals of the World Cup, the Recopa, the Guanabara Cup, the Carioca Championship.
Palm trees 4 x 0 Holy Water.
Fluminense 4 x 1 Flamengo.
#title #Abel #failure