Cruzeiro fight back to draw with Fluminense before Club World Cup break | OneFootball

Cruzeiro fought back to draw with Fluminense at Mineirão in a match that marked both teams’ final fixture before the schedule was paused for the World Cup. In a game in which they had more possession and created more attacking play for much of the 90 minutes, the team from Belo Horizonte fell behind but managed to respond in the second half through Matheus Pereira to avoid defeat in front of their home crowd.

The result keeps the team’s recovery under Artur Jorge on track. Although they were unable to turn their territorial dominance into a win, Cruzeiro created chances, put the opponent under pressure, and once again showed competitiveness against a side that relied on counterattacks to threaten.

MATCH SUMMARY

Cruzeiro controls the game, but Fluminense take the lead

From the opening minutes, Cruzeiro took control of the match and began moving the ball around in the attacking half. Their best chances of the first half mainly came down the right flank, with Arroyo, Gerson, and Matheus Pereira involved in the team’s main attacking moves.

Neyser Villarreal had two good chances to open the scoring, but failed to take them. At the other end, Fluminense were more direct and found spaces in quick transitions. In the 42nd minute, John Kennedy received a through ball, beat Jonathan Jesus in a footrace, and struck firmly to put the visitors ahead.

Before halftime, Matheus Pereira also threatened with a shot from the edge of the box, but the ball went just wide of the post defended by Fábio.

Cruzeiro pressure brings equalizer

Cruzeiro came back for the second half with the same aggressive approach, piling on attacking moves. Kaiki forced Fábio into a good save with a mid-range effort, while Gerson and Matheus Pereira were involved in the team’s main attacks.

Their persistence paid off in the 29th minute. After Bruno Rodrigues was fouled at the edge of the box, Matheus Pereira stepped up to take the free kick. The No. 10 struck it firmly, the ball deflected off the wall and left Fábio with no chance, making it 1-1 at Mineirão.

In the final minutes, Cruzeiro pushed for the winner, mainly with crosses into the box and attacks down the wings. Fluminense threatened again in stoppage time, when Cano received the ball inside the area and forced Otávio into a great save to preserve the draw.

Break for the World Cup

With the result, Cruzeiro end their run before the World Cup break and head into the mid-season period enjoying one of their best moments of the campaign. In addition to the positive run built under Artur Jorge, the team secured qualification for the round of 16 of both the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores. In the Brazilian league, they managed an important recovery and sit in 11th place with 24 points.

Now, the squad will have a preparation period before the official restart of the calendar, when they will again compete simultaneously in the Brazilian Championship, the Copa do Brasil, and the Libertadores. The round of 16 in the continental competition is scheduled for August, when Cruzeiro will face Flamengo for a place in the quarterfinals. In the Copa do Brasil, their opponent will be Chapecoense, also in the round of 16.

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