Brazilian Drama: Internacional Keeper Subbed Off Due to Wedding Ring Injury in 1–1 Draw
Flamengo and Internacional opened their 2025 Brasileirão campaigns with a high-tempo 1–1 draw, but it was a bizarre injury that stole the spotlight in Rio de Janeiro.
Despite Flamengo dominating possession and creating several dangerous chances in the first half, it was the visitors who struck first. In the 34th minute, Alejandro Bernabei delivered a brilliant diagonal ball from the left flank, which found Bruno Henrique unmarked in the box. The striker met it first time with a stunning volley to put Internacional ahead against the run of play.
But the real drama came shortly before. Internacional goalkeeper Sergio Rochet appeared to injure his finger midway through the first half — reportedly due to his failure to remove his wedding ring before the match. Though he continued until the break, he was substituted at half-time due to the discomfort.
Brazil - Serie A: Fixtures, Results & Standings
Flamengo came out firing in the second half, and the equalizer arrived quickly. After a corner from the left, centre-back Léo Pereira bundled the ball over the line to bring the hosts level. The home side, managed by Filipe Luís, pushed for a winner, firing 13 shots in the second half alone — but couldn’t break through a resilient Internacional defense.
In the end, both sides had to settle for a point — and Rochet’s ring mishap will surely go down as one of the strangest injury stories of the season.
2025, Brazil - Serie A
Flamengo - Internacional 1:1 (0:1)
Goals: Bruno Henrique, 34 (0:1); Pereira Léo, 54 (1:1)
Flamengo: Rossi A.; Alex Sandro; Leo Ortiz; Pereira Léo (Ayrton Lucas, 90); Pulgar; Wesley; Bruno Henrique (Wallace Yan, 71); De La Cruz; Juninho dos Santos (Goncalves M., 89); Michael (Everton Soares, 57); Luiz Araújo (Plata, 57)
Bench: Cunha M. Q.; Varela; Cleiton S.; Allan; Araujo Evertton
Yellow Cards: Pulgar 64; De La Cruz 83
Internacional: Rochet (Anthoni S., 46); Aguirre B.; Bernabei; Vitão; Juninho R.; Bruno Henrique (Ronaldo Souza, 61); Alan Patrick; Reges F.; Wesley (Thiago Maia, 74); Borré R.S. (Valencia En., 68); Vitinho S. (Carbonero, 61)
Bench: Nathan Santos; Ramon Lima; Rogel; Rocha K.; Gustavo Prado; Romero O.
Yellow Cards: Vitinho S. 45; Alan Patrick 75; Juninho R. 78; Vitão 87
