Cruzeiro Comes from Behind to Defeat Flamengo 2-1 in Brasileirão Showdown
At Mineirão, Cruzeiro mounted a comeback to secure a 2-1 victory over Flamengo this Saturday (22), in a match that was part of round 24 of the 2026 Brasileirão.
This contest marked the third encounter within 10 days between the Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro teams, with the first two matches occurring in the Libertadores, where Flamengo earned a spot in the quarterfinals.
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Prior to kickoff, Flamengo supporters made their presence known by taunting the home team with chants of “eliminated.”
As the match commenced, Flamengo appeared to hold the upper hand once again.
Notably, the prolific duo of Arrascaeta and Pedro struck early, with Pedro netting his 15th goal in the Brasileirão, putting him at the top of the league’s scoring chart.
Pedro’s impressive performance in the first half included a backheel pass and a near nutmeg on an opponent, prompting fans to proclaim him as Brazil’s future No. 9 ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
However, after halftime, Cruzeiro found their footing and began to challenge Flamengo’s defense effectively.
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In a strikingly similar fashion to their first Libertadores match, Arroyo delivered a breathtaking goal by sending Samuel Lino to the ground before smashing it into the top corner past Rossi.
As the match neared its conclusion, both teams, having made significant substitutions and feeling the strain of a long season, created opportunities to score again.
Ultimately, it was the Cruzeiro fans who celebrated as Matheus Pereira scored with the final kick of the match in a scrappy goal.
Before this match, Flamengo’s only other loss in the 2026 Brasileirão had occurred on May 23, when they fell 3-0 to Palmeiras at the Maracanã during round 17.
🚦 Standings
As a result of this match, Flamengo remains in second place with 45 points. Even with a game in hand, they risk seeing leaders Palmeiras extend their lead to six points.
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Cruzeiro held onto fifth place with 39 points, closing in on Fluminense (41 points), who currently occupies a top-four spot.
The Raposa will return to the pitch on Tuesday (25) for a derby against Atlético-MG at Mineirão during the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals.
Flamengo, on the other hand, will take a break before facing Botafogo at the Maracanã next Sunday (30) in round 25 of the Brasileirão.
In that same round, Cruzeiro will visit Vasco at São Januário on Saturday (29).
At Mineirão, Cruzeiro came from behind to beat Flamengo 2-1 this Saturday (22), in a match valid for round 24 of the 2026 Brasileirão.
This was the third meeting in 10 days between the Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro sides (the first two were in the Libertadores, where the Rubro-Negro secured qualification for the quarterfinals).
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In fact, before kickoff, the Flamengo fans in attendance at Mineirão made a point of taunting the hosts with chants of “eliminated.”
And once the ball was rolling, the Rio Rubro-Negro started better once again.
So much so that the “golden duo” of Arrascaeta and Pedro delivered yet again, with the No. 9 scoring his 15th goal in the Brasileirão to stand alone as the league’s top scorer.
Pedro’s strong first-half display, which included a backheel pass and an attempted nutmeg on an opponent, led the Nação to “declare” that he will be Brazil’s No. 9 in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup.
But after the break, Cruzeiro regained their balance and started causing problems for the Rio side’s defense.
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And, just like in the first Libertadores match, Arroyo scored a stunner after sending Samuel Lino to the ground and rifling it into the top corner past Rossi.
In the closing stages, with both teams heavily changed and worn down by the season’s grueling schedule, each side had chances to score a second goal.
And it was Cruzeiro’s fans who got the happy ending, as they saw Matheus Pereira score with the last play of the game in a scrappy goal.
Flamengo’s last defeat in the 2026 Brasileirão had been on May 23, when they lost 3-0 to Palmeiras at the Maracanã in round 17.
🚦 Standings
With the result, Flamengo stayed in second place with 45 points and, even with a game in hand, could now see leaders Palmeiras open up a six-point gap again at the top.
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Cruzeiro, meanwhile, remained in fifth place, now with 39 points, and still close behind Fluminense (41 points), who currently occupy the top four.
Raposa return to action next Tuesday (25), when they face Atlético-MG in the derby at Mineirão in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals.
Rubro-Negro, meanwhile, will rest during the week before facing Botafogo at the Maracanã next Sunday (30), in round 25 of the Brasileirão.
In that same round, Cruzeiro visit Vasco at São Januário on Saturday (29).
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
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