Matheus Henrique praises Cruzeiro’s ‘identity’ despite defeat.

Cruzeiro will face Vasco next Sunday.

Starting in Cruzeiro ‘s 2-0 defeat against Flamengo, midfielder Matheus Henrique lamented the team’s result in the mixed zone. However, the player emphasized that the team had a good volume of play and some opportunities.

“We know we can’t let our guard down against Flamengo. Those ten minutes were a lapse in concentration. But then we improved. I saw our team playing with our identity, pressing high up the pitch, in Flamengo’s half. We had chances with Neyser, like Kaiki. We were close to equalizing, but we conceded a goal. We’re not in a comfortable situation. Sunday is another crucial match,” he predicted.

“Throughout the second half, we pressed intensely. We were very close to equalizing. We had a chance with Chico, but ended up conceding a goal on the counter-attack. Something to reflect on. The performance was good, but the result was terrible,” he analyzed.

“Being at Cruzeiro means being held accountable every day. We’re fighting to get out of this uncomfortable position as quickly as possible. Only the result is seen, but we performed well. It’s not easy playing against Flamengo. We had the game in our hands. But we ended up conceding the second goal,” Matheus Henrique emphasized.

Flamengo beat Cruzeiro 2-0 on Wednesday night (11), in the fifth round of the Brazilian Championship. Raposa saw in their opponent a game plan that they saw a lot last season.

The home team started the match with maximum intensity, opening the scoring after four minutes. Neyser tried to dribble out of his own half but ended up losing the ball, which fell to Pedro. The striker got past the opposing defense and beat Cássio to make it 1-0.

In the second half, Cruzeiro suffered another significant setback. Their goalkeeper felt pain while challenging for the ball and left the field on a stretcher. Just as Cruzeiro was searching for the equalizer, Flamengo sealed the game. Fabrício Bruno misplaced a pass, and Carrascal chipped the ball over Matheus Cunha to finish the scoring.

With this result, Cruzeiro could even return to the bottom of the Brazilian Championship if Vasco wins against Palmeiras. Raposa has only two points accumulated in five matches and will face Cruz-Maltino on Sunday (15), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time).