Brasileirão Week 23: Flu Hold Four, Furacão Stun Flamengo and Inter Find Their Feet

Following a positive international break for Brazil’s national side, the most competitive top-flight in the world is back as the business end of the 2023 season draws closer. With the battles to avoid relegation, seal continental qualification and potentially even win the title bound to excite, drama is guaranteed, and this weekend we were treated to plenty of goals in a round of fixtures headlined by a Rio clássico. The managerial merry-go-round is also still in full flow, as Renato Paiva was sacked by Bahia in a fairly harsh but unsurprising decision, with Rogério Ceni now returning to the Brasileirão in charge of the club from Salvador.  

Playing in an earlier kick-off slot due to their Copa do Brasil clash with São Paulo, Flamengo had Athletico Paranaense to deal with first as Jorge Sampaoli stuck with a full-strength side in a rematch of last year’s Copa Libertadores final. The Rubo-Negro started the first half brightly, but it would be the visitors who opened the scoring out of nothing as a hopeful long-range effort from Vitor Bueno was sloppily parried by Matheus Cunha into the path of Cacá, and all the centre-back had to do was simply find the net for a second goal in just six league appearances since joining the Curitiba side on loan in July. 

Mengão found Athletico to be stern opponents as they chased an equaliser in the second half, and their task was made even harder when a lashed arm by Gabriel Barbosa was deemed a red card offence by VAR, forcing the hosts to play the final quarter of the match with ten men. Despite the numerical advantage, Wesley Carvalho’s side still had to soak up pressure in the later stages, before a devastating finish by Alex Santana killed Flamengo off on 84 minutes - a late Vitor Bruno penalty polished a highly impressive 3-0 away victory for the visitors to take them within a point of the Copa Libertadores places. 

91.° Gol Alex Santana ✓ Flamengo 0x3 Athletico pic.twitter.com/2yFDdJE9AH— Michel Toti (@michel_totii) September 14, 2023