October 31 – Flamengo defeated Athletico Paranaense 1-0 on Saturday to win a third Copa Libertadores title and cement their dominance at the top of the South American club game.
After 1981 and 2019, the Rio club can now add 2022 to the honours list following an imperious campaign and a deserved victory in the final, thwarting Luiz Felipe Scolari’s dream of becoming the first coach to win the Libertadores with three different clubs.
Scolari, who guided Brazil to a fifth world title in 2002 but also oversaw the country’s historic 7-1 defeat against Germany in 2014, had drawn up an elaborate plan to man-mark Flamengo and shackle the opponent’s many creative outlets. It worked for much of the first half, with Flamengo dominating possession but not getting a clear sight of the goal.
Then, shortly before the break, Pedro Henrique was sent off with a second yellow card. It would prove a decisive moment, with Fernandinho, the former Manchester City player, dropping to defence. On the right, Everton Ribeiro worked a one-two to find Gabigol at the far post, who scored with a simple tap-in. The striker has scored in all three of Flamengo’s recent Libertadores finals.
“We put the club in a shape that few believed this year,” said Flamengo coach Dorival Junior at a news conference.
“This is the result of a lot of dedication from those on the inside. The final has a high degree of nervousness. We all feel it, as human beings. But what was important were the performances we had throughout the competition. We played consistently, with great dominance. After the sending-off, of course, the match took another turn. But we must also praise the work of Athletico.”
It was Flamengo’s third final in four years. They defeated River Plate in 2019, but lost last year against Sao Paulo club Palmeiras.
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