Football
Pedro scores late as Flamengo draw with Athletico-PR and extend unbeaten league run
The Reds fall behind but hit back after the break through Pedro, following a fine move built by Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira
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The Reds fall behind but hit back after the break through Pedro, following a fine move built by Bruno Henrique and Léo Pereira
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Flamengo battled back to earn a valuable 1-1 draw with Athletico-PR on Sunday at the Arena da Baixada, in the 16th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship. In a fiercely contested game in Curitiba, the Rubro-Negro fell behind to a Stiven Mendoza goal early in the first half, but levelled after the break through Pedro, who was on the mark once again in the league. In the closing stages Danilo was sent off, yet the side held on for the point despite going down to ten men.
Leonardo Jardim's men had to weather Athletico's early pressure and adapt to an artificial pitch, all while coping with a number of important absentees. The result takes the Reds to 31 points and keeps us second in the table with a game in hand, stretching our unbeaten league run to seven matches, with five wins and two draws.
The game
Even away from home and short of several regulars, Flamengo set out to control possession. Athletico-PR, though, started at a high tempo, pressing our build-up and camping in the attacking third in the opening minutes.
The first real chance arrived inside three minutes, when Mendoza collected the ball in the box and saw his effort blocked by Léo Pereira. Moments later Benavídez was left free from a worked corner routine, but his shot was also charged down.
Flamengo responded on nine minutes. Samuel Lino drove down the left and crossed into the area. The defence only half-cleared, and Varela teed up Paquetá to volley over the bar.
On 11 minutes Athletico opened the scoring. Mendoza received in the box and struck it hard. The ball deflected off Léo Ortiz and Rossi could only palm it into his own net: 1-0.
After falling behind, the Reds took a firmer grip on the ball and pushed further forward. Carrascal, Paquetá and Pedro looked to find gaps against a packed Paraná defence. Danilo almost equalised with a header on 32 minutes, while Paquetá threatened with a low ball that flashed right across the six-yard box.
Flamengo came out even sharper after the interval. Five minutes in, Samuel Lino picked out Carrascal to perfection, but his header rattled the crossbar. Soon after, Pedro went close from a pinpoint Alex Sandro cross.
The pressure kept building, but Athletico defended well and remained a threat on the counter. On 33 minutes Rossi produced a stunning string of saves to deny Viveros and keep out the hosts' second goal.
Flamengo's persistence was rewarded on 39 minutes. Léo Pereira slid a superb ball in behind for Bruno Henrique, who burst into the box at pace and squared for Pedro to finish: 1-1.
The number nine reached 17 goals for the season and 169 in the famous shirt. In the Brasileirão, Pedro moved clear at the top of the scoring charts with nine goals. Athletico-PR became Pedro's second most-punished opponent for Flamengo, with eight goals conceded to him, behind only Fluminense on nine.
Bruno Henrique, meanwhile, notched his sixth assist of 2026 and his 59th in Flamengo colours. Among the players who have set up Pedro most often for the club, BH sits second with eight decisive passes.
The closing minutes grew even more frantic. Danilo was shown a second yellow and sent off deep into stoppage time for halting an Athletico counter, but the Rubro-Negro saw out the draw until the final whistle in Curitiba.
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Athletico-PR
Santos; Lucas Esquivel (Gilberto), Juan Felipe Aguirre and Arthur Dias; Léo Derik (Claudinho), Felipinho (Renan Peixoto), Jádson and Gastón Benavídez; Bruno Zapelli (João Cruz); Kevin Viveros and Stiven Mendoza. Manager: Odair Hellmann.
Flamengo
Rossi; Varela, Danilo, Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro; Léo Ortiz (Emerson Royal) and Saúl Ñíguez (Bruno Henrique); Jorge Carrascal (Ayrton Lucas), Lucas Paquetá and Samuel Lino (Everton); Pedro (Vitão). Manager: Leonardo Jardim.
What's next
The Reds are back in action on Wednesday to face Estudiantes at 9:30pm (BRT) at the Maracanã, in the 5th round of the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores.
Match details
Athletico-PR 1-1 Flamengo – 2026 Brazilian Championship | Round 16. Venue: Arena da Baixada – Curitiba, PR. Date and time: 17 May 2026, 7:30pm. Officials: Rafael Rodrigo Klein (RS), Eduardo Goncalves da Cruz (MS), Michael Stanislau (RS) and Emerson de Almeida Ferreira (MG). Yellow cards: Jorge Carrascal (FLA), Felipinho (CAP), Jádson (CAP), Danilo (FLA). Red card: Danilo (FLA). Goals: Stiven Mendoza (11', 1st half) and Pedro (39', 2nd half).
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