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The night of last Wednesday, July 24, 2024, was unforgettable for the striker Kevin Serna. In a standout match at the Maracanã Stadium against Palmeiras, the Colombian made his official debut with Fluminense entering the field in the second half. The young player took the place of Marquinhos and made an excellent impression among the supporters of the ‘tricolor’.
However, the situation became even more memorable and heroic when Serna played a crucial role in the dramatic ending of the match, contributing decisively to the decisive goal by his compatriot Jhon Arias. In the 86th minute of the match, which had been complicated and difficult, Kevin displayed brilliance that was vital for the final victory.
The debutant not only demonstrated speed and skill in his actions, but also managed to win over the ‘flu’ fans, fighting in a convoluted match where every second counted. His intervention was key to unraveling the score, managing to assist in the finish of Arias, securing the victory.
First with remarkable quickness, he quickly lifted the ball, leaving a Palmeiras defender looking foolish, to combine with one of his teammates. Together they formed a wall that became an ideal solution for the Colombian to embark on an amazing run from his own half, down the entire left flank, to the goal line, evading a concert of green-and-white legs trying to bring him down.
No one could stop the infernal gallop of Kevin Serna, who before running out of breath released the ball to the heart of the area for his compatriot Jhon Arias, recent runner-up of the America Cup with Colombia, to strike first and overcome the resistance of Weverton. The emotion was such that the scorer embraced the former Alianza Lima player; the same was done by Marcelo, an idol of ‘Flu’, in a photo that went viral on social media.
The extraordinary display by the Popayán native, which lasted only one regulation half, left everyone in the stands of the Maracanã in awe. On virtual platforms, they were also astonished by Serna’s performance. The voting was unanimous: Kevin stood out above the rest.
And TNT Sports BR, the official channel, can attest to this, naming Serna as the MVP of the match: “The Colombian is too smooth. He also provided an assist for the only goal of the match, the winning goal for Fluminense against Palmeiras.”
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Before the praise, it was noted that “Kevin Serna was a nightmare for the Palmeiras defense and assisted Arias.” “Fluminense is very much alive. One must respect the ‘tricolor’; a very important victory, one must not give up.”
Once the ‘in extremis’ victory was secured, the coach Mano Menezes was very satisfied with the performance of his boys but emphasized the brilliant role played by Serna. “We really liked the attitude from the first moment. When you hire someone, you have an idea, but you learn about them day by day. Right from the start, he was very willing and very technically skilled. Together with Nonato, he provided the level of intensity that the team needs,” he said at the press conference.
Thus, Fluminense has taken a huge step to try and escape the bottom of the standings in the Brasileiro, which condemns them to relegation. With two consecutive victories, they can dream of staying up. And from Serna‘s virtues, one can believe in that.
With midfielder Kevin Serna, Fluminense faces a key match against Bragantino on matchday 20 of the Brasileirão next Monday, July 28, at 9:00 AM at the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium in São Paulo. The ‘tricolor’ with 14 points is in the relegation zone and is surpassed by Grêmio (14) and Vitória with 15 points.
Then, the ‘flu’ will face Juventude in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil 2024 on the following Thursday, August 1 (5:00 PM). The match will be at the Alfredo Jaconi Stadium in Rio Grande.