Fluminense and Figueirense Just Tie for the 1st Leg of Copa do Brasil’s Final

By: Bruno Romani | May 31st, 2007

Ok, the report is a bit late, but it’s here. I wanted to wait until the highlights were on Youtube. After all, we’re talking about the finals of the Copa do Brasil.The Maracanã was full of Fluminense fans hungry for the first title on the national stage in 23 years, and they prepared a beautiful party for that. Green lights and flags decorated the stadium. Figueirense, on the other hand, had nothing to lose but its virginity on the national stage. Figueirense has never been this far in a national competition.

Throughout the entire game, the home team had more ball possession, and was closer to Figueirense’s area. The team, however, lacked aggressiveness and was trapped by the defense cleverly prepared by coach Mário Sérgio.

Before the first minute of the second-half, Figueirense counter-attacked and missed a good chance. That woke up Fluminense who tried to suffocate the visitors. The home team started missing chances and gave space for counter-attacks. In one of them, with 37 minutes into the second-half, the forward Henrique hit one of the best goals in the Brazilian season this year. Goalie Fernando Henrique is still looking for that ball.

The home team fell into despair and six minutes later justice was made. Thiago Neves received a ball in the right, conducted it, and crossed to Adriano Magrão just to push it to the back of the net.

The draw was celebrated only by Figueirense who plays next week in Florianópolis for a simple victory or a 0-0 draw to repeat the biggest glory of a club from Santa Catarina state. In 1991, headed by a young Luis Felipe Scolari, Crisciúma won the Copa do Brasil.

Fluminense, on the other hand, says it is confident. The club has played its best matches in the tournament away from home. The club doesn’t want to be the runners-up in the Copa do Brasil again. It lost the tournament in 1992 and 2005.

HIGHLIGHTS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om90BuOxz4U