Flamengo thrashes Bahia 3-0, rides momentum into Libertadores semifinal return leg vs. Estudiantes

There was a header worth its weight in gold, one that made clear exactly why Flamengo is arriving at this closing stretch of the season the way it is. The Rio de Janeiro club thrashed Bahia 3-0 in matchday 31 of the Brasileirao, doing so with a late-game scoring display right when it needed to flex its muscle most ahead of what's coming next.

The match stayed tight well into the second half. It wasn't until the 64th minute that Jorginho broke the deadlock and gave the home crowd its first sigh of relief. Nine minutes later came the play everyone will remember: Gonzalo Plata won back the ball, laid it off to Samuel Lino, who controlled it and whipped in a precise cross for Plata himself to rise up and head home a goal worth celebrating twice over, making it 2-0. Lucas Paqueta added the finishing touch later to seal the final 3-0.

For Plata, this was no ordinary goal. It's his third of the season with Mengao and it ends a drought dating back to April 26, 2026, when he last scored in a win over Atletico Mineiro, also in the Brasileirao. The Ecuadorian picked the perfect moment to reconnect with the back of the net, right when the team needs all its top attacking talent firing on all cylinders. Anthony Valencia, for his part, stayed on the bench and didn't see any minutes this time around.

A timely confidence boost

The rout doesn't just add three more points to the table, it also adds momentum. Flamengo climbed to 67 points in the Brasileirao, one ahead of closest pursuer Palmeiras, and the timing couldn't be better given how packed the schedule is. Up next is nothing less than the return leg of the 2026 Copa Libertadores semifinal against Estudiantes de La Plata, a clash set for next Thursday at 9:30 p.m. and available to stream on Disney+'s Premium Plan for South America.

Arriving sharp for a moment like this is no accident, nor a small detail for a team fighting on two fronts. The win over Bahia works as exactly the kind of confidence boost every squad looks for before a decisive series, and players like Plata, stepping up right when the team needs it most, add extra belief heading into the continental test ahead.