The São Paulo Tricolor, who made good the 0-1 score in Maracaná, withstood the attacks of Flamengo to start a 1-1
The Cariocas, who have the best squad on the continent, will close 2023 without titles, while the Sao Paulinos broke their taboo in the KO tournament
Sao Paulo finally won its first Brazilian Cup. He did it with all the merits, because he was much superior to Flamengo in the two games of the final. In Maracaná, he won 0-1 in a tactical class of Dorival Junior against his former team, which rudely fired him after having won the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil in 2022. And, this Sunday, at the Morumbí, before a passionate ‘torcida’, he did not fail. The 1-1 score was enough for them to win their first national title since 2008.
DATASHEET
Final return of the Copa do Brasil
SAO
FLA
ALIGNMENTS
Sao Paulo FC
Rafael, Rafinha, Arboleda (Diego Costa, 8′), Beraldo, Caio Paulista (Wellington, 64′), Alisson (Gabriel Neves, 64′), Pablo Maia, Rodrigo Nestor (Luciano, 80′), Lucas Moura Wellington Rato ( Michel Araújo, 80′) and Calleri
Flamengo
Rossi, Wesley, Fabricio Bruno, Leo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas, Erick Pulgar, Thiago Maia (Luiz Araújo, 63′), Gerson (Víctor Hugo, 80′), De Arrascaeta (Éverton Ribeiro, 80′), Burno Henrique y Pedro ( Gabigol, 73′).
Referee
Bráulio da Silva Machado (Santa Catarina). TA: Alisson (16′), Pablo Maia (24′), Rafinha (26′), Gabriel Neves (90+5′ and 90+9′) / Leo Pereira (30′.)
Goals
0-1 Bruno Henrique (44′), 1-1 Rodrigo Nestor (45+4′).
Incidences
Match played at the Morumbi stadium (Sao Paulo). 63,000 spectators.
Flamengo is the big fiasco of the year in Brazil and South America. From continental champion to losing all titles in 2023. It has been of no use to have the largest squad in the southern cone. And Jorge Sampaoli remains the great oneIn fact, he already was when he fell in the round of 16 of the Libertadores against Olimpia, from Asunción. He is sentenced and his dismissal is a matter of time.
The black rubrone came out to take over the world after the tactical mess of the first leg. The presence of the recovered Arrascaeta, who is the brain of the team, gave momentum to ‘Mengao’ who, with one more midfielder, equalized the battle in the midfield. The sacrifice was Gabigol, which, at this point in the season, is far from its best version.
It was a first half, with the Cariocas, well positioned and dominating in several phases, and the Saopaulinos too reactive and stiff.
Warning Gerson, that on Saturday he had been called up by Fernando Diniz to play with Brazil on the FIFA date in October, with his left foot (min. 18.) And Flamengo tied the tie with a goal from Bruno Henriquewho took advantage of the rebound from the post in a cross shot from the Chilean Erick Pulgar, that the goalkeeper Rafael He didn’t know how to save (min. 44).
The end of the first half was a whirlwind of emotions. Sao Paulo seemed to have felt the weight of the goal conceded… but he found the tying goal in added time thanks to a genius of Rodrigo Nestor.
A lateral foul was rejected with fists by Agustín Rossi (the former Boca player was playing his first game since signing for Flamengo), but the ball fell outside the area to the youth player, who took a tremendous left foot shot. 1-1.
Flamengo had to row again. He had 45 minutes to look for one more goal. The heat wave that hit Brazil this weekend wreaked havoc. The match, which began with a temperature of 36º degrees, slowed down a lot, which favored Sao Paulo, because the tie was already going well for them.
As the minutes passed, the helplessness of ‘Mengao’ became apparent, as he finished the match very dwarfed. The locals, with an orderly and seamless defense, had enough to take the title. The revenge of Dorival Junior was completed.