He Flamengo, last champion of the Libertadores Cup, won this Thursday 3-0 against Bangú, in a game of Carioca Championship what supposed the return of soccer in Brazil and all of South America, after the pause imposed by COVID-19.
The party was disputed andn an almost empty Maracana stadium, without an audience, and all the players and the coaching staff of both teams were previously subjected to “quick” exams to rule out that any one was infected.
Brazil, while still in the midst of a pandemic, became the first South American country to resume soccer, interrupted since last March, despite the fact that the incidence of the disease maintains an increasing rhythm. The return of soccer in the country, however, is limited for now to the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Before the start a minute of silence was observed in memory of the victims that the coronavirus has left so far in Brazil, which according to the last official bulletin has already caused 47,748 deaths – 1,238 in the last 24 hours – and almost a million cases.
Strictly footballing, Flamengo returned in top form, although with little precision, against a humble Bangú who simply tried to contain the strong team of the Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who has just renewed his contract with the Rio de Janeiro club.
Jesus aligned his usual headlines, with the offensive trident formed by Bruno Henrique, Gabriel Barbosa “Gabigol” and the Uruguayan Giorgian De Arrascaeta, who scored the first goal in the 18th minute.
Bruno Henrique scored the second at 65, after a very precise assistance from “Gabigol”, who also managed the play of the third, by Pedro Rocha almost at the end of the game.
The Carioca Championship, which is in its last stages, with Flamengo already qualified for the semifinals, was resumed despite the opposition of the Botafogo and the Fluminense, two of the most important clubs in Rio de Janeiro, who threaten not to play and go to court to answer that resumption.