Eduardo Domínguez watched Atlético Mineiro's unbeaten run at Arena MRV end in emphatic fashion on Sunday night as Flamengo delivered a 4-0 defeat in the 13th round of the Brasileirão.
Flamengo struck early and often. Pedro opened the scoring in the 7th minute after being picked out by Arrascaeta, Plata doubled the lead in the 31st minute, and Arrascaeta added a third deep into first-half stoppage time in the 46th. The visitors left no doubt in front of 28,148 fans, the scoreboard reading 4-0 when the final whistle blew and Flamengo's winning streak was extended.
The first half told the story of the match numerically. Flamengo had six shots before halftime, five of them on target, and three first-half efforts found a way past Atlético goalkeeper Everson. Before the break Rossi produced two critical interventions — denying Natanael and then using the post to keep out Cuello — and those saves preserved the visitors' advantage while Domínguez prepared changes.
At halftime Domínguez made two changes in an attempt to shift momentum, but the adjustments could not close a gap created by Flamengo's early clinical finishing and the visitors' defensive solidity. Minda saw Rossi make a save in the second half as Atlético pressed, but the home side never found the quality needed to get back into the game.
Those details matter beyond the final score. The defeat ends Atlético Mineiro’s home unbeaten run and arrives on the heels of reports about Hulk’s possible departure, compounding an already inconsistent campaign. Atlético went into the match 12th in the table with 14 points from 12 matches; Flamengo arrived in second with 23 points from 11 matches and on a six-game winning run across all competitions, a momentum they carried into Belo Horizonte.
The match also exposed a clear tension: Atlético Mineiro had total control of the action in the second half but could not translate possession into goalkeeper-beating chances, while Flamengo needed relatively few efforts to make the game decisive. Rossi's saves and the use of the woodwork before halftime flipped the pattern of usual home advantage and left Atlético chasing a game in which their best openings were closed down at crucial moments.
For Domínguez, the immediate consequence is plain: a home defeat that breaks an unbeaten streak and deepens questions about form at a club already described as inconsistent. For Flamengo, the win reinforces a run of results that has them climbing and closing the gap on the leaders. The match will leave Atlético Mineiro with work to do on finishing and on-field cohesion if they are to halt the slide and respond in the weeks ahead.
