Brazilian league: Ceará draw 1-1 with Criciúma in Santa Catarina | OneFootball

Photo: Igor de Castro/Ceará SC

Playing at Heriberto Hulse Stadium, Ceará drew 1-1 with Criciúma in a match valid for the 13th round of the Brazilian Série B Championship played this Monday, the 15th. João Gabriel scored for the black-and-white side.

Ceará took the field with three changes compared to their last match. In a first half in which they relied on attacking transitions to look for the opening goal, the People’s Team came close in a counterattack led by Melk, in which the number 40 received the ball on the right wing, cut onto his left foot, and shot just wide of the Santa Catarina side’s goal.

In the 24th minute, after a cross into the box, Fellipe Matheus opened the scoring for the home side.

Ceará kept searching for the equalizer until the end of the first half, but went into the dressing room trailing by the narrowest of margins.

After the break, Ceará adopted a more proactive approach, with greater possession in the attacking third. In the 8th minute, Rafael Ramos tried a shot from outside the box, but was denied by goalkeeper Airton.

Anderson Batatais brought on players such as Matheusinho, Enzo Lodovico, and Pedro Esli, who added even more intensity to the team in the final stretch. As a result, in the 33rd minute, Matheusinho set up João Gabriel, who struck from the edge of the Santa Catarina side’s box and made it 1-1.

Right after that, João Gabriel pressed the home side’s build-up and laid it off for Melk to shoot, forcing Airton to save what would have been the black-and-white side’s winning goal, preserving the tie on the scoreboard.

With the away draw, Vozão reached 17 points, 4 points off the promotion playoff zone. Next Saturday, the 20th, the People’s Team hosts Botafogo/SP.

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