Luan Cândido walked off the Barradão pitch on Thursday night with a yellow ribbon of relief around him — he had scored Vitória’s second goal and, in the process, sealed a 2 a 0 win that sent his club through to the oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil.
The victory in the vitória vs flamengo matchup overturned the advantage Flamengo had built in the first leg; Flamengo had won the away game 2 a 1, but Vitória’s clean sheet at home changed the tie and saw the Bahia side into the last 16.
The numbers underline the upset: Vitória 2 a 0 on the night, Flamengo 2 a 1 in the first match, and a place in the 5ª fase decided in favor of the home side. Luan Cândido, who finished the scoring for Vitória, described his emotions after the game as gratitude and relief, thanking God, his family, the club and the supporters while stressing that the whole team deserved credit and must keep the same level of focus going forward.
Coach Jair Ventura framed the result not as a single-game triumph but as proof of a growing bond between players and fans. He publicly praised the match referee, Raphael Claus, and said the events the club endured — including what he called a period of strong emotion after previous incidents in Rio and later against Athletico-PR — helped bring squad and crowd together. Ventura added he had not been watching which other teams advanced; for him the simple fact was that Vitória had progressed.
Context matters: Vitória had lodged complaints about the refereeing in the first leg at the Maracanã, pointing to several incidents the club believed were decisive. Those grievances framed the return leg at the Barradão and made Vitória’s reversal feel like both sporting answer and local vindication.
The tension in the story is obvious and uncomfortable for Flamengo. Coach Leonardo Jardim refused to accept that his team had underestimated the opponent, saying the loss was unexpected rather than a humiliation. Jardim pointed to overwhelming control in the match statistics — 70% possession and 26 shots — and then to a single, damaging moment early on when an almost indefensible strike put Flamengo behind. From that point, he said the team failed to convert the numerous opportunities it created; defensive lapses at a corner allowed Vitória to cross and finish, and Flamengo could not recover despite pushing more players forward.
Jardim was candid about consequences: his side had hoped to keep three competitions open but failed to advance in this eliminatory tie, increasing pressure on Flamengo to perform elsewhere. He insisted attitude and effort were not the issue, saying players had tried their best and that sometimes, he told them, things simply do not happen on a given day.
For Vitória, the result immediately tightens an already busy calendar. The club still competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro and has two Copa do Nordeste semifinal legs against ABC scheduled for 20 maio and 27 maio; in between, Vitória travels to face RB Bragantino on domingo at 18h30 for the 16ª rodada of the Brasileirão. Jair Ventura framed the run of fixtures as a test of unity, saying the tie’s outcome amplified a sense of togetherness that “contagies” both staff and supporters.
The clean conclusion is simple: Vitória’s home performance delivered a straight, measurable reversal of the aggregate outcome and now hands the club momentum — and a tougher schedule. Flamengo leaves the tie with striking control but no goals to show for it, and its coach’s insistence that the result was not a scandal will be tested by the remainder of the season. For Luan Cândido and his teammates, Thursday night’s win is both reward and warning — it advances them in the Copa do Brasil, but maintaining that form across the Brasileiro and the Copa do Nordeste will determine whether this victory becomes the foundation of a bigger campaign.
