Flamengo prospect Matheus Gonçalves marked his return to youth football with two long-range strikes in a 2–2 draw against Botafogo in the Brasileirão Sub-20 on Thursday. The match at Rio de Janeiro also served as the debut of coach Bruno Pivetti at the helm of Flamengo’s Under-20 side. Gonçalves, 19, said the decision to step down from the senior squad was his own as he looks to maintain match fitness amid limited first-team opportunities. “When I go to the U-20s it’s because I asked; I want minutes,” he told reporters. The attacking midfielder has appeared 13 times for manager Filipe Luís’s senior team this season, scoring twice. He equalised in the first half by cutting inside from the right before rifling a left-footed shot into the top corner, and put Flamengo ahead shortly after the interval with a similar finish. Botafogo levelled late to share the points, leaving both clubs mid-table in the youth championship.