🇧🇷 Second-half salvo helps Flamengo overcome Cuiabá | OneFootball

An under-strength Flamengo side proved too strong for struggling Cuiabá on Saturday.

Scorers: Gava 90+4′; França 58′, Marinho 66′ (pen)

As expected, Flamengo manager Dorival Júnior opted for a mostly second-string starting XI as he prioritised the upcoming Copa do Brasil final first leg against Corinthians on Thursday.

Arturo Vidal was one of the few big Rubro-Negro names thrust into action, and he was left frustrated just after the half-hour mark as he sliced a decent opportunity wide.

Cuiabá started the second half brightly, with André Luis coming close to opening the scoring as his header just cleared the crossbar.

The visitors soaked up that pressure and hit the front when substitute Matheus França found the net. An Éverton Soares cross from the left flank was flicked on by Victor Hugo and França was in the perfect spot to finish from close range.

Flamengo doubled their lead eight minutes later when Marinho finished emphatically from the spot after he had been bundled over in the area.

Rafael Gava punished some slack possession by Fla in stoppage time but his goal proved to be mere consolation for the Dourado.

The result sees the Mengão rise (at least temporarily) to third in the Brasileirão table, while Cuiabá remain stuck in the relegation zone.