Flamengo beat Palestino 2-0 at the Maracaná and extended its good football moment in the Copa Libertadores. Tite’s team achieved its first victory of the tournament, after a draw in the debut, thanks to goals from Pedro and Léo Ortiz.
With the emotional boost of having won the Carioca Championship last Sunday, Mengão controlled the game from the beginning and put all its players on the offensive. The great figure of Palestino, fourth in the Chilean league, was goalkeeper César Rigamonti, author of numerous saves and responsible for ensuring that the night did not end in a rout.
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That resistance was broken in the 21st minute by Pedro and his scoring instinct. Everton shot inside the area, the ball bounced off a defender and Fla’s number 9 was there to capture the ball, avoid Rigamonti and score with a header.
🔝🔥 Pedro en el área, infalible…
⚫️🔴 El goleador de @Flamengo abrió el marcador en la victoria de su equipo en el Maracaná.#GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/fTiv38fWZw
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) April 11, 2024
In his international debut with the red-and-blacks, center back Léo Ortiz put in final numbers five minutes from the end of the game. He anticipated everyone at the start of a corner kick and put the ball into the near post.
With this result, Flamengo went on to lead Group E with four units. Bolivar (Bolivia) and Millonarios (Colombia) have 3 and 1 point, respectively, and will face each other tomorrow in La Paz. Palestino was last after two defeats in a row.
Mengão will close the first round of the Sudamericana by visiting the heights of Bolivia. But first, they visit Atlético Goianiense on Sunday in their debut at the Brasileirão in a grand start to the league as they will then play against São Paulo and Palmeiras.
