Atlético thrash Vasco 5-0, seal Copa Sul-Americana spot | OneFootball

Atlético closed the 2025 Brazilian Championship with a great performance. This Sunday (07), at Arena MRV, the team led by Jorge Sampaoli crushed Vasco 5-0 in a match where they gave their opponent no chance at all. With this result, Galo finishes the tournament in 11th place, with 48 points, and secures a spot in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana. The team from Rio de Janeiro ends up in 14th, with 45 points.

Devastating first half

The script of the game was clear from the very first minutes: with Vasco fielding their reserve team, Atlético was dominant. The team from Minas Gerais piled up shots (10 against only 1 from Vasco), created three big chances, and even hit the post twice with Hulk. The intensity and constant presence in the attacking half left the Belo Horizonte team in total control of the match.

The superiority was reflected on the scoreboard. Junior Alonso opened the scoring after an assist from Rony. Shortly after, Hulk extended the lead with a free-kick, consolidating the black-and-white dominance in the first half.

The situation for Vasco, which was already complicated, got even worse at the 31st minute, when midfielder Hugo Moura was sent off after a hard tackle in midfield. With a man advantage and riding on a solid performance, Atlético came back for the second half with even more freedom.

Rout consolidated in the final stage

If Atlético had already shown supremacy in the first half, in the second the team simply confirmed the technical difference between the two sides. With an impressive 72% possession in the final stage and 9 shots on target, Sampaoli’s team turned their dominance into goals.

Dudu scored twice, showing opportunism and good finishing to find the net and further extend the score. The fifth goal came from an unfortunate play by full-back Victor Luís, who ended up deflecting the ball into his own net.

Closing out the season

The rout secured Atlético’s spot in the Copa Sudamericana. Vasco, on the other hand, finishes the Brasileirão outside the group of teams that will play in the “Sula”, but is still competing in the Copa do Brasil, where they are in the semifinals facing Fluminense.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.