Cauly shines with record-breaking São Paulo debut in Brasileirão win | OneFootball

Cauly was Hernán Crespo’s big gamble in São Paulo’s reserve squad to face Coritiba. And it paid off. The Tricolor’s new midfielder led several of the team’s offensive stats, scored the winning goal in the 1-0 victory, was the best player on the field and even broke records with his impressive statistics in Paraná.

After making his debut for the club already against Bragantino in the Paulistão, but only playing the final minutes, the number 80 finally made his first start, being the main player responsible for organizing the team. And he did not disappoint.

The São Paulo player created four big chances, completed three dribbles and had two shots on target, leading the Tricolor in all these aspects. He also delivered two accurate crosses out of six attempts, and completed 23 out of 28 passes in the match.

In addition, he was also important in defense. He made two interceptions, recovered five balls for São Paulo, and won four out of nine duels for possession.

With these numbers, Cauly became the first player to debut in the Brasileirão for São Paulo with a match of at least four chances created and three successful dribbles, according to the DatFut page.

Another milestone achieved by the former Bahia player: he was the first São Paulo player to provide four passes leading to shots by teammates in this 2026 Brasileirão.

Tolói is the best in defense

Crespo returned to the three-center-back formation in Coritiba, with two frequent starters, Alan Franco and Arboleda, along with Rafael Tolói, who hadn’t played in eight matches. And it was precisely him who led the Tricolor defense away from home.

Tolói had the most defensive actions on the team, contributing three clearances, four ball recoveries, two interceptions, and three tackles against Coritiba. The captain even appeared in the box during a corner kick, heading a dangerous ball that was saved by the opposing goalkeeper.

With strong performances, the pair showed the Argentine coach that they can be used more often. Hernán Crespo liked what he saw from the reserves on the field and didn’t hesitate to praise some names in the post-match press conference in Paraná.

“I think the team played very well, both with and without the ball. They understood what the game demanded and needed, we created chances. I want to congratulate Ferreira, Wendell, Tolói. These are players who have been playing less. Cauly as well, who just arrived. But the players with fewer minutes showed they deserve to play, that they deserve a place. They showed they can play. It’s not easy to come here and play like São Paulo did, without fear and with courage. This group showed unity, the humility to understand what the game needed,” said the coach.

The year will be long…

The result at Couto Pereira means the Morumbi club has now gone eight games unbeaten in all competitions, with seven wins and one draw. In the Brasileirão, they have reached ten points in the main national competition and will remain at the top of the standings.

“Confidence is fundamental, because it’s going to be a very long season. The Sudamericana, lots of travel, the Brasileirão too, being competitive in the Paulistão. The idea is to be competitive and to be able to count on a squad that understands the needs, what the competitions really require. The group is united, with humility. It’s a moment when they are very confident,” Crespo added.

After resting his main players, Crespo will now have the entire squad available for the semifinal of the Campeonato Paulista on Sunday (1/3), against rivals Palmeiras, in Barueri (SP). In the Brasileirão, the team will only return to the field on March 12 (Thursday), at 8pm (Brasília time), against Chapecoense. The match is supposed to be at Tricolor’s home, but it has not yet been confirmed for Morumbi, which is occupied by the AC/DC concert.

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