Serie A Regular Season - 5

Flamengo 2 - 0 FT Cruzeiro

Estádio do Maracanã

Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching

Futmetrix Verdict
27
FT
Thu, Mar 12
Português
Flamengo
2-0
Cruzeiro
⚡ Intensity 16
⚖️ Balance 8
🏆 Stakes 86
🎲 Upset 0
Early strike sinks struggling Cruzeiro side.

Flamengo compound Cruzeiro's misery with clinical Maracanã victory

Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 27/100. A professional performance from the hosts cements their top-four credentials while plunging their opponents deeper into early-season relegation peril.

The Early Breakthrough

The atmosphere inside the iconic Estádio do Maracanã was absolutely electric, and the vocal home faithful did not have to wait long to erupt in collective joy. Just five minutes into the contest, Pedro found the back of the net with a clinical finish, completely altering the complexion of the match before it had even settled. Flamengo started the evening with immense attacking purpose and a clear tactical mandate. The off-the-charts Intensity in those furious opening exchanges left the visiting defenders entirely shell-shocked and scrambling to reorganise. Cruzeiro, desperate to claw their way out of the dreaded relegation zone early in the campaign, were suddenly forced to chase a game against one of the division's genuine heavyweights. This daunting reality dictated the rhythm of the entire first half, as the away side committed bodies forward while remaining acutely vulnerable to punishing, lightning-fast counter-attacks from the wings.

Sterile Possession

What followed this explosive start was a fascinating tactical stalemate that heavily favoured the team defending a precious lead. The visitors actually controlled possession for long stretches, holding an impressive 56% of the ball, but they consistently struggled to penetrate a remarkably resolute defensive block. Lucas Paquetá proved to be an absolute maestro in the middle of the park, pulling the attacking strings effortlessly while breaking up passing lanes alongside the tireless Erick Pulgar. The incredibly modest Balance score reflects an encounter where the trailing team saw plenty of the ball but rarely looked genuinely capable of equalising. Despite a barrage of 26 combined shots briefly turning the pitch into an open shooting gallery, rock-solid goalkeeping at both ends of the field—featuring eight crucial saves in total—ensured that the scoreline remained painfully narrow as the clock slowly ticked toward the final whistle.

The Final Blow

Desperately pushing bodies forward in a frantic bid to salvage a crucial point, the visitors inevitably left themselves hopelessly exposed on the counter-attack during the dying moments. Deep into the eighth minute of extensive stoppage time, Samuel Lino brilliantly exploited the vast open space left behind the defensive line, teeing up J. Carrascal to apply the simplest of finishing touches and emphatically seal the victory. The sheer Stakes of this fixture could not be higher for the struggling away side, who now remain firmly marooned in 19th place and staring down the barrel of a gruelling season. Ultimately, a predictably low Upset Factor told the true story of the night: a ruthlessly clinical, highly experienced squad managing the game perfectly against spirited but ultimately blunt opposition lacking the required quality in the final third.

Key Questions

What does this mean for Flamengo's season?

This crucial victory solidifies their position among the early frontrunners, showcasing the tactical discipline required to mount a serious and sustained title challenge this year.

What is the Futmetrix Score?

The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.

Match Statistics

Possession
44%
56%
Flamengo 44%
Cruzeiro 56%
Shots
14
12
Flamengo 14
Cruzeiro 12
Shots on Target
6
4
Flamengo 6
Cruzeiro 4
Expected Goals (xG)
0.99
0.53
Flamengo 0.99
Cruzeiro 0.53
Passes
384
485
Flamengo 384
Cruzeiro 485
Pass Accuracy
86%
87%
Flamengo 86%
Cruzeiro 87%
Corners
4
6
Flamengo 4
Cruzeiro 6
Fouls
19
12
Flamengo 19
Cruzeiro 12
Yellow Cards
2
2
Flamengo 2
Cruzeiro 2
Red Cards
0
0
Flamengo 0
Cruzeiro 0

Match Events

5' Pedro
45'+3 🟨 Leo Pereira
HT
Fagner 🟨 56'
N. Villarreal Chico 🔄 60'
Cassio Matheus Cunha 🔄 62'
65' 🔄 Everton Samuel Lino
74' 🔄 Emerson Royal G. Varela
74' 🔄 Lucas Paqueta J. Carrascal
Gerson Wanderson 🔄 76'
Fagner K. Arroyo 🔄 86'
Lucas Silva Japa 🔄 86'
88' 🟨 E. Pulgar
89' 🔄 G. de Arrascaeta Luiz Araujo
89' 🔄 Pedro Wallace Yan
Fabricio Bruno 🟨 90'+6
90'+8 J. Carrascal (Samuel Lino)
FT

Player Cards

Our take on every player in this match

Flamengo

Goalkeepers
Agustín Rossi
MAGNET
MAGNET
28
Activity
28
Activity
27
Passes
1
Duels
Defenders
Emerson Royal
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Léo Ortiz
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Léo Pereira
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alex Sandro
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Erick Pulgar
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jorginho
MAGNET
MAGNET
63
Activity
63
Activity
59
Passes
4
Duels
Lucas Paquetá
PROVOCATEUR
PROVOCATEUR
5
Fouls Won
5
Fouls Won
8
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Giorgian De Arrascaeta
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Everton
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Forwards
Pedro
SNIPER
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
BENCH
Andrew
SPECTATOR
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Guillermo Varela
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Danilo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Vitão
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ayrton Lucas
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Samuel Lino
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
32
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jorge Carrascal
CLUTCH HERO
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
6.5
Rating
Nicolás de la Cruz
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Evertton Araujo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Gonzalo Plata
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Luiz Araújo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wallace Yan
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
8
Total Mins
Started
Entry

Cruzeiro

Goalkeepers
Cássio
MAGNET
MAGNET
15
Activity
15
Activity
15
Passes
0
Duels
Defenders
Fagner
NPC
NPC
86
Minutes
86
Minutes
32%
Pass Acc
6.6
Rating
Fabrício Bruno
MAGNET
MAGNET
84
Activity
84
Activity
82
Passes
2
Duels
Lucas Villalba
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kaiki
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Midfielders
Matheus Henrique
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Lucas Silva
NPC
NPC
86
Minutes
86
Minutes
38%
Pass Acc
6.7
Rating
Christian
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
97
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Matheus Pereira
MAGNET
MAGNET
63
Activity
63
Activity
52
Passes
11
Duels
Gerson
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
14
Late Mins
14
Late Mins
76
Total Mins
76
Entry
Forwards
Néiser Villarreal
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
BENCH
Matheus Cunha
MAGNET
MAGNET
12
Activity
12
Activity
12
Passes
0
Duels
Kauã Prates
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
João Marcelo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kauã Moraes
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jonathan Jesus
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Japa
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Murilo Rhikman
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Walace
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Chico da Costa
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
37
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kaique Kenji
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Keny Arroyo
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
11
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Wanderson
LATE SHIFT
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
21
Total Mins
Started
Entry

Head to Head

Date Home Score Away Competition Venue
02/10/2025 Flamengo 0 - 0 Cruzeiro Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
04/05/2025 Cruzeiro 2 - 1 Flamengo Serie A Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto
07/11/2024 Cruzeiro 0 - 1 Flamengo Serie A Estádio Raimundo Sampaio
30/06/2024 Flamengo 2 - 1 Cruzeiro Serie A Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho
19/10/2023 Cruzeiro 0 - 2 Flamengo Serie A Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto
27/05/2023 Flamengo 1 - 1 Cruzeiro Serie A Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho
21/09/2019 Cruzeiro 1 - 2 Flamengo Serie A Estádio Mineirão
28/04/2019 Flamengo 3 - 1 Cruzeiro Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
25/11/2018 Cruzeiro 0 - 2 Flamengo Serie A Estádio Mineirão
12/08/2018 Flamengo 1 - 0 Cruzeiro Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
02/10/2025
Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
04/05/2025
Serie A Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto
07/11/2024
Serie A Estádio Raimundo Sampaio
30/06/2024
Serie A Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho
19/10/2023
Serie A Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto
27/05/2023
Serie A Estadio Jornalista Mário Filho
21/09/2019
Serie A Estádio Mineirão
28/04/2019
Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
25/11/2018
Serie A Estádio Mineirão
12/08/2018
Serie A Estádio do Maracanã
Flamengo Win
Cruzeiro Win
Draw

League Standings

Pos Team P Pts GF GA GD Form
1 Palmeiras 4 10 12 5 +7 WPalmeiras 2 - 1 Fluminense (26-02-2026)WInternacional 1 - 3 Palmeiras (13-02-2026)WPalmeiras 5 - 1 Vitoria (05-02-2026)DAtletico-MG 2 - 2 Palmeiras (28-01-2026)
2 Sao Paulo 4 10 6 2 +4 WCoritiba 0 - 1 Sao Paulo (25-02-2026)WSao Paulo 2 - 0 Gremio (12-02-2026)DSantos 1 - 1 Sao Paulo (04-02-2026)WSao Paulo 2 - 1 Flamengo (29-01-2026)
3 Bahia 4 8 5 3 +2 DBahia 1 - 1 Vitoria (11-03-2026)WVasco DA Gama 0 - 1 Bahia (12-02-2026)DBahia 1 - 1 Fluminense (05-02-2026)WCorinthians 1 - 2 Bahia (28-01-2026)
4 Flamengo 4 7 6 4 +2 WFlamengo 2 - 0 Cruzeiro (12-03-2026)WVitoria 1 - 2 Flamengo (11-02-2026)DFlamengo 1 - 1 Internacional (04-02-2026)LSao Paulo 2 - 1 Flamengo (29-01-2026)
5 Coritiba 5 7 7 6 +1 WCorinthians 0 - 2 Coritiba (12-03-2026)LCoritiba 0 - 1 Sao Paulo (25-02-2026)DChapecoense-sc 3 - 3 Coritiba (11-02-2026)WCruzeiro 1 - 2 Coritiba (06-02-2026)LCoritiba 0 - 1 RB Bragantino (28-01-2026)
6 Fluminense 4 7 5 4 +1 LPalmeiras 2 - 1 Fluminense (26-02-2026)WFluminense 1 - 0 Botafogo (12-02-2026)DBahia 1 - 1 Fluminense (05-02-2026)WFluminense 2 - 1 Gremio (28-01-2026)
7 Atletico Paranaense 4 7 4 3 +1 DRB Bragantino 1 - 1 Atletico Paranaense (25-02-2026)LAtletico Paranaense 0 - 1 Corinthians (19-02-2026)WAtletico Paranaense 2 - 1 Santos (12-02-2026)WInternacional 0 - 1 Atletico Paranaense (28-01-2026)
8 Corinthians 5 7 5 5 0 LCorinthians 0 - 2 Coritiba (12-03-2026)DCruzeiro 1 - 1 Corinthians (25-02-2026)WAtletico Paranaense 0 - 1 Corinthians (19-02-2026)WCorinthians 2 - 0 RB Bragantino (12-02-2026)LCorinthians 1 - 2 Bahia (28-01-2026)
9 RB Bragantino 4 7 3 3 0 DRB Bragantino 1 - 1 Atletico Paranaense (25-02-2026)LCorinthians 2 - 0 RB Bragantino (12-02-2026)WRB Bragantino 1 - 0 Atletico-MG (04-02-2026)WCoritiba 0 - 1 RB Bragantino (28-01-2026)
10 Mirassol 4 6 8 7 +1 DMirassol 2 - 2 Santos (11-03-2026)DMirassol 2 - 2 Cruzeiro (11-02-2026)Dremo 2 - 2 Mirassol (04-02-2026)WMirassol 2 - 1 Vasco DA Gama (29-01-2026)
11 Gremio 4 6 8 8 0 WGremio 2 - 1 Atletico-MG (26-02-2026)LSao Paulo 2 - 0 Gremio (12-02-2026)WGremio 5 - 3 Botafogo (05-02-2026)LFluminense 2 - 1 Gremio (28-01-2026)
12 Chapecoense-sc 3 5 8 6 +2 DChapecoense-sc 3 - 3 Coritiba (11-02-2026)DVasco DA Gama 1 - 1 Chapecoense-sc (05-02-2026)WChapecoense-sc 4 - 2 Santos (28-01-2026)
13 Atletico-MG 5 5 7 8 -1 WAtletico-MG 1 - 0 Internacional (11-03-2026)LGremio 2 - 1 Atletico-MG (26-02-2026)DAtletico-MG 3 - 3 remo (11-02-2026)LRB Bragantino 1 - 0 Atletico-MG (04-02-2026)DAtletico-MG 2 - 2 Palmeiras (28-01-2026)
14 Santos 5 5 8 10 -2 DMirassol 2 - 2 Santos (11-03-2026)WSantos 2 - 1 Vasco DA Gama (26-02-2026)LAtletico Paranaense 2 - 1 Santos (12-02-2026)DSantos 1 - 1 Sao Paulo (04-02-2026)LChapecoense-sc 4 - 2 Santos (28-01-2026)
15 Vitoria 4 4 5 8 -3 DBahia 1 - 1 Vitoria (11-03-2026)LVitoria 1 - 2 Flamengo (11-02-2026)LPalmeiras 5 - 1 Vitoria (05-02-2026)WVitoria 2 - 0 remo (28-01-2026)
16 Botafogo 3 3 7 6 +1 LFluminense 1 - 0 Botafogo (12-02-2026)LGremio 5 - 3 Botafogo (05-02-2026)WBotafogo 4 - 0 Cruzeiro (30-01-2026)
17 remo 4 3 6 8 -2 Dremo 1 - 1 Internacional (25-02-2026)DAtletico-MG 3 - 3 remo (11-02-2026)Dremo 2 - 2 Mirassol (04-02-2026)LVitoria 2 - 0 remo (28-01-2026)
18 Internacional 5 2 3 7 -4 LAtletico-MG 1 - 0 Internacional (11-03-2026)Dremo 1 - 1 Internacional (25-02-2026)LInternacional 1 - 3 Palmeiras (13-02-2026)DFlamengo 1 - 1 Internacional (04-02-2026)LInternacional 0 - 1 Atletico Paranaense (28-01-2026)
19 Cruzeiro 5 2 4 11 -7 LFlamengo 2 - 0 Cruzeiro (12-03-2026)DCruzeiro 1 - 1 Corinthians (25-02-2026)DMirassol 2 - 2 Cruzeiro (11-02-2026)LCruzeiro 1 - 2 Coritiba (06-02-2026)LBotafogo 4 - 0 Cruzeiro (30-01-2026)
20 Vasco DA Gama 4 1 3 6 -3 LSantos 2 - 1 Vasco DA Gama (26-02-2026)LVasco DA Gama 0 - 1 Bahia (12-02-2026)DVasco DA Gama 1 - 1 Chapecoense-sc (05-02-2026)LMirassol 2 - 1 Vasco DA Gama (29-01-2026)