Kenedy hasn’t had the best of starts since his summer loan to Brazilian side Flamengo. He contracted COVID-19 just before the move was finalized, which in turn delayed his debut for the Mengão. The odds were already stacked against him from the beginning, and with Flamengo boasting of one of the best squads in South America, the loan move was already starting to sound like a bad choice.
Kenedy did get a rare start in the match against Grêmio, and he decided to make the full use of this opportunity. The 25-year-old, who was playing on the right flank, decided to cut in towards the opposition goal in the 74th minute. Kenedy’s dribbling was always one of his strongest traits, and his silky feet helped draw three opposition defenders who bid to stop him, but Kenedy managed to square the ball to an unmarked Vitinho, who did the rest for Flamengo’s second goal of the night.
The match would go on to end in a 2-2 draw, despite Grêmio finishing the game with 9 men. Flamengo are now 8 points behind league leaders Atlético Mineiro, with 4 games remaining in the season. Flamengo’s next match is the Copa Libertadores final against Palmeiras, so hopefully, Kenedy’s previous performance has given manager Renato Gaúcho enough reasons to start him.
Anyways, Kenedy, who has 1 goal and 1 assist to his name this season, should get more chances in the second half of his loan spell, once he has acclimatized and has had a full pre-season with his side before the next season.