Flamengo didn't deserve to lose insists Sousa | OneFootball

Flamengo slumped to their first defeat of the Brasileirão Série A season, losing 1-0 at Athletico Paranaense on Saturday.

Scorers: Terans 32′ (PEN)

A contentious penalty, awarded for a foul on Marcelo Cirino at the half-hour mark, is all that separated the two teams and according to manager Paulo Sousa the game lacked quality.

“Not only did we create little, but our opponents created little as well,” said the 51-year-old after the game. “I think the fairest result would’ve been a draw.”

With fixtures coming thick and fast, the Rubo-Negro boss heavily rotated his side – including a debut to defender Pablo Castro – which may have played a part in the disjointed nature of the contest.

“We had a lot of difficulties executing [our gameplan],” he explained.

“We always needed more time to execute the plays, but we also have to congratulate the opponent who did a good job [at making things difficult].”

This defeat leaves Flamengo on five points after four games as they kick off their Copa Libertadores campaign on Thursday.