Ghana's Francis Amuzu came off the bench to curl in a free-kick for Gremio, but Flamengo's first-half blitz sealed a 3-1 win at the Maracana.
Ghanaian midfielder Francis Amuzu made his mark in Rio, coming off the bench to score a well-struck free-kick for Gremio, but it was not enough to prevent a 3-1 defeat to Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A.
The hosts took control early at the Maracana. Samuel Lino broke the deadlock in the 20th minute, and Pedro doubled the advantage eight minutes later, converting a Jorge Carrascal assist. Pedro struck again in first-half stoppage time to send Flamengo into the break in command.
Amuzu began the match on the bench, then replaced Tete at the start of the second half as Gremio looked for a route back into the game. The Ghanaian wasted little time making his presence felt. In the 69th minute he stepped up and delivered a precise free-kick that cut the deficit and gave the visitors a flicker of hope.
That hope faded, though. Gremio could not find an equalizing push, and Flamengo managed the closing stages to lock down all three points.
The goal is Amuzu's second in seven appearances for Gremio this season, a encouraging return for the Ghanaian as he continues to settle in Brazil's top flight and prove his value on one of South America's biggest stages.
