In a thrilling and controversial match of the Brazilian Championship’s 18th round, Flamengo secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Criciúma at the Mané Garrincha stadium in Brasília on July 20, 2024. The game, which drew a record crowd of 60,000 spectators, was marked by drama and an unusual penalty incident that decided the outcome in the final minutes.Criciúma took the lead in the first half through Rodrigo’s goal, but Flamengo equalized in the second half with a goal from Pedro. The turning point came in the 89th minute when the referee awarded a penalty to Flamengo in bizarre circumstances. As Everton Cebolinha entered the box, Criciúma’s Barreto instinctively kicked a second ball that had been thrown onto the field by the crowd. The referee, citing Article 1 of Rule 12, awarded a penalty, which Gabigol converted to secure the win for Flamengo.The victory propels Flamengo to second place in the league with 34 points, closing the gap on leaders Botafogo to just one point. For Criciúma, the defeat leaves them in 14th place with 17 points, perilously close to the relegation zone.Flamengo’s coach, Tite, praised the team’s performance, saying, “It was a great day”. However, the controversial nature of the winning goal has sparked debates about the application of rules in such unusual circumstances.The match also highlighted ongoing discussions about Gabigol’s future at Flamengo. Despite scoring the winning goal, Gabigol expressed some frustration about his playing time and treatment by the club. “They didn’t treat me well as an idol,” he stated, while also affirming his desire to continue playing for Flamengo.This victory extends Flamengo’s unbeaten run against Criciúma to 21 years, with 7 wins and 2 draws in that period. The team will face Vitória in their next match on Wednesday, as they continue their pursuit of the league leaders in what is shaping up to be an exciting Brazilian Championship season.
Key points
- Flamengo won 2-1 against Criciúma with a controversial penalty in the final minutes.
- The victory puts Flamengo in second place, closing in on league leaders Botafogo.
- The match drew a record crowd of 60,000 spectators in Brasília.
- Gabigol expressed frustration about his treatment at Flamengo despite scoring the winning goal.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported points for Flamengo, with some sources stating 34 points and others 35 points.
👾The exact timing of Gabigol’s winning penalty varies slightly between reports, with some stating the 89th minute and others the 43rd minute of the second half.
