Fluminense score late to avoid defeat to Bragantino on Brasileirão return | OneFootball

Fluminense drew 1-1 with Red Bull Bragantino on Friday night at the Maracanã in the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship. After falling behind in the first half through a goal by Eduardo Sasha, the Tricolor pushed throughout the entire second half and avoided defeat with the last play of the match, when Ignácio scored with a header to secure a point for the Rio de Janeiro side.

How did the match go?

First half

Fluminense found it difficult to create chances early in the match against Red Bull Bragantino. In a first half with few opportunities at the Maracanã, neither side seriously tested the goalkeepers until midway through the period.

The first good chance for the Tricolor came in the 24th minute. After winning the ball back in the attacking half and exchanging quick passes, Hércules received it near the edge of the box and hit a low shot, but Tiago Volpi made the save without difficulty. Two minutes later, Bragantino were clinical on a counterattack. Fluminense’s defense was left exposed, the cross found Eduardo Sasha, who was unmarked and headed home to open the scoring.

The Tricolor tried to respond right away and nearly equalized with a long-range shot from Hulk that went close to the target. In the 32nd minute, Fluminense also lost Millán, who left the pitch injured and was replaced by Freytes. Deep into stoppage time, Savarino made a good run down the wing and crossed for Serna, whose header went wide. As a result, the team went into halftime trailing on the scoreboard.

Second half

Fluminense came back for the second half determined to find an equalizer and put Bragantino under pressure from the opening minutes. The team created good chances through Renê, Freytes, and Hulk, but once again ran into a lack of finishing efficiency. In the 10th minute, Luis Zubeldía brought on Canobbio and John Kennedy in place of Serna and Savarino to give the attack fresh energy.

The situation seemed to become even more favorable in the 19th minute, when Sant’Anna was sent off after elbowing Lucho Acosta. Despite the numerical advantage, the Tricolor lost intensity and struggled to turn possession into clear chances. In the closing stages, Zubeldía opted for an even more attacking setup by bringing on Cano, forming a front line with three center-forwards alongside Hulk and John Kennedy.

Deep into stoppage time, a scuffle between the players ended with John Kennedy and Fabinho both being sent off, leaving the match at 10 against 9. In the 56th minute, Lucho Acosta had a good chance inside the box, but was denied by a great save from Volpi. On the very last play of the match, however, Canobbio lifted the ball into the area and Ignácio rose to head home the equalizer, securing a point for Fluminense at the Maracanã.

What does it mean?

With the draw, Fluminense picked up another point in the Brazilian Championship and remain in third place, but missed the chance to move closer to the competition’s leaders. The Tricolor return to action on the 26th, when they face Grêmio at the Arena do Grêmio in the next round of the Brasileirão.

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