Flamengo Edges Santos 3-2 at Maracanã, Keeping Brasileirão Title Race Tense

In a gripping Brasileirão clash on November 9th at the Maracanã stadium, Flamengo secured a 3-2 victory over Santos, intensifying the competition for the league title. The thrilling encounter, witnessed by a crowd of 69,612, saw Flamengo take an early advantage and withstand a late Santos resurgence.

Flamengo opened the scoring in the 36th minute with Léo Pereira capitalizing on a corner kick delivered by Arrascaeta. The home side continued to press, and Carrascal doubled the lead shortly after the second half began, in the 50th minute. Although Flamengo missed a penalty — with Arrascaeta’s effort striking the post — Bruno Henrique extended the lead to 3-0, giving the hosts a comfortable cushion.

Santos, led by captain Neymar, fought back in the closing stages, sparking a tense finale. Gabriel Bontempo and Lautaro Díaz scored two quick goals, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. Despite Neymar’s efforts to inspire his team, his impact waned in the second half, leading to his substitution. However, Santos could not complete the comeback and remain entrenched in the relegation zone with 33 points, just behind Vitória, who has 35 points.

With this victory, Flamengo matched Palmeiras at the summit of the Brasileirão with 68 points each, keeping the title race wide open as Palmeiras still have a game in hand. Flamengo’s focus now shifts to their upcoming postponed match against Sport, scheduled for November 15.

This encounter highlighted Flamengo’s resilience and ability to take advantage of scoring opportunities, despite moments of pressure from Santos. Meanwhile, Santos’ late rally was not enough to escape the relegation battle, underlining the urgency for their survival campaign.

The match signaled a pivotal moment in the 2025 Brasileirão season, with Flamengo maintaining strong momentum in their quest for the championship and Santos fighting desperately to climb out of danger.