Marcelo, the Brazilian striker who made headlines with his spectacular wing break-through against Flamengo in the first round of the Campeonato Paulista on Saturday night, has lifted the club to new heights.

The 21-year-old scored two goals in a dramatic 4-3 win over the Rio de Janeiro giants, who were without injured star forward Gabriel Barbosa and captain Diego Carlos. Marcelo's goal in the 87th minute proved to be the game-winner as he dribbled past three defenders before slotting home from close range.

Flamengo had been expected to cruise to victory after leading 3-0 at half-time through goals from Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Ferreira. However, they conceded a penalty in the 69th minute when Felipe Melo was brought down by Marcelo, resulting in a spot-kick that the midfielder converted himself.

Despite the setback, Flamengo fought back valiantly and levelled the scores just five minutes later through a goal from Paulo Henrique Silva. But Marcelo's heroics ensured that Flamengo would not go down without a fight.

The win moved Flamengo up to second place in the league table and put them within touching distance of their arch-rivals Corinthians, who currently lead the competition. The match also raised eyebrows given the controversial nature of Marcelo's strike, which saw him elbow a defender before being sent off by the referee.

However, the incident did little to dampen the mood among Flamengo fans, who celebrated their triumph with wild celebrations and chants of "Brasil" and "Vamos Flamengo". It was clear that Marcelo's display had inspired the team and that the club was on the rise once again.

Overall, Marcelo's stunning performance against Flamengo will be remembered as one of the highlights of the season so far. His ability to score crucial goals and inspire his teammates has already secured his place as one of Brazil's brightest young talents.

• Wing
• Elevates
• Breakthrough
• Marcelo
• Flamengo