With a solid 2-1 victory at the Maracanã, Flamengo eliminated Cruzeiro from the Libertadores and snapped the visitors’ 11-game unbeaten streak away from home.
Flamengo confirmed their status as favorites last Wednesday (19) by defeating Cruzeiro 2-1 at the Maracanã. The result, in the second leg of the Libertadores Round of 16, secured the Rubro-Negro’s spot in the quarterfinals of the continental tournament and ended an impressive run by their opponents: an 11-game unbeaten streak away from Belo Horizonte.
The match required the utmost focus from the squad led by the Flamengo manager. Cruzeiro, which had been enjoying a period of immense defensive solidity on the road, boasted six wins and five draws in a streak built since April. Overcoming that resistance was a crucial step for the Mais Querido to remain firmly in the race for the Libertadores title.
Cruzeiro’s strength away from home
The visitors’ unbeaten run began after a crushing 4-1 loss to São Paulo in early April in the Brazilian Serie A. Since then, the team adjusted its tactics and posed significant challenges to tough opponents in both domestic and international competitions, such as their matchups against Boca Juniors (ARG) and Barcelona de Guayaquil (ECU).
Cruzeiro’s consistency on the road was a major point of concern for the coaching staff, but Flamengo managed to neutralize the opponent’s momentum and control the decisive moments at the Maracanã.
reports the M360 Team.
An immediate rematch in the Brazilian Serie A
The schedule offers no respite, and this clash between the Brazilian football giants gains a new chapter in the very short term. Just three days after their decisive Libertadores showdown, the teams meet again, this time for the 24th round of the Brazilian Serie A.
The match is set for this Saturday (22) at 8:30 PM (Brasília time). The stage now shifts to the Mineirão, where Cruzeiro will look to use home-field advantage to bounce back from their setback in Rio de Janeiro, while Flamengo aims to maintain high confidence for the remainder of the season.
M360 Team
