Flamengo and River Plate draw in friendly, rekindling their Libertadores rivalry
The World Cup break served as the stage for a reunion between two South American giants. In a friendly played at the Estádio do Algarve, in Portugal, Flamengo and River Plate finished in a 2-2 draw. The match, held this Friday (3), evoked memories of the epic 2019 Libertadores final, a duel that decided a champion in the final minutes and became etched in the hearts of fans.
Short-handed, but with the rivalry ignited
The setting for this reunion was marked by significant absences on both teams. Called up by their respective national teams for the World Cup, key players such as Danilo, Alex Sandro, Léo Pereira, Lucas Paquetá, Varela, and Arrascaeta were missing for Flamengo. River Plate also felt the absence of names like Nicolás Otamendi, Juan Quintero, and Gonzalo Montiel. Despite the absences, the Argentine side, currently in a rebuilding process, and Flamengo fielded their best available lineups, keeping the flame of their rivalry alive.
Goals and comebacks in the Algarve
The game started in electrifying fashion. In the sixth minute, a mistake playing out from the back by goalkeeper Rossi handed the ball to Driussi, who did not hesitate to open the scoring for River Plate. The response from the Rubro-Negro did not take long. In the 30th minute, Samuel Lino, following a good recovery by Jorginho, leveled the match. Flamengo took the lead just two minutes later, with Bruno Henrique finishing with class after a pass from Samuel Lino. However, River Plate showed resilience and found the equalizer in the 37th minute, once again through Driussi, who capitalized on a loose ball near the penalty spot to make it 2-2. Flamengo still had a chance to regain the lead before halftime, but Bruno Henrique hit the crossbar.
In the second half, the numerous substitutions – eight for Flamengo and seven for River – altered the pace of the game. With less intensity and creativity, the teams were unable to change the score, which remained 2-2 until the final whistle. The result concluded a balanced matchup that, despite the absences, reignited the passion between the fans of Flamengo and River Plate, who are always known for memorable duels.
