Cruzeiro made to sweat late on, beat Chapecoense and pull clear of Z-4 | OneFootball

Cruzeiro returned to winning ways in the Brazilian Championship by beating Chapecoense 2-1 at Mineirão, in a match marked by greater control from the Minas Gerais side for much of the game and heavier pressure from the opponent late on.

MATCH SUMMARY

The team struggled in the opening minutes, when Chapecoense managed to push its marking higher and occupy the attacking half. The scenario changed quickly. With more possession and the full-backs involved in building plays, Cruzeiro began to control the action and create the main chances of the match.

The first goal came at 26 minutes of the first half. Matheus Pereira won a penalty inside the box, and Kaio Jorge converted it to open the scoring. The goal also carried individual significance: the striker reached a historic milestone by becoming Cruzeiro’s top scorer at Mineirão since the 2013 renovation.

Still in the first half, the team created other chances to extend the lead. Kaio Jorge, Kaique Kenji, Matheus Pereira, and Kaiki were involved in the main attacking moves, while Anderson prevented Chapecoense from going into the break at a bigger disadvantage.

In the second half, Cruzeiro maintained its attacking intensity and managed to turn its superiority into another goal. At 27 minutes, Kaio Jorge was involved in the move and started the build-up that ended with Sinisterra, who finished to extend the Celeste side’s lead.

When the match seemed to be heading for a more comfortable ending, Chapecoense began to find space again. At 34 minutes, João Paulo took advantage of a free-kick delivery into the box and cut the deficit. In the final minutes, the Santa Catarina side found the net again and was also awarded a penalty, but both plays were overturned after a VAR review.

Goalkeeper Otávio also stepped up at a crucial moment in stoppage time. During a sequence of Chapecoense shots, the No. 1 made important saves and helped preserve the result.

With the win, Cruzeiro moved to 23 points and sits in 9th place in the Brazilian Championship. The result also increases the gap from the relegation zone at an important point in the season, as the team is balancing its focus across different competitions.

In the next fixtures, Cruzeiro will continue playing at Mineirão. The team returns to the field next Thursday (28) at 9:30 p.m., when it hosts Barcelona de Guayaquil in the Copa Libertadores. Then, on Sunday (31) at 8:30 p.m., the team faces Fluminense, again in Belo Horizonte, in a Brazilian Championship match.

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