Rout! Cruzeiro thrash Corinthians, clinch Libertadores group spot | OneFootball

On a night of convincing performance, Cruzeiro defeated Corinthians 3-0 this Sunday (23) at Mineirão, securing a direct spot in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores. With a solid collective performance and another decisive game from Kaio Jorge, Leonardo Jardim's team dominated the actions from start to finish, leaving no chances for the São Paulo rival in the 35th round of the Brasileirão.

GAME SUMMARY

The first half showed a more focused and dominant Cruzeiro from the initial whistle. The team from Minas Gerais created the main opportunities, starting with a cross shot from Arroyo that posed a threat, and shortly after, with Villalba missing a clear chance inside the box. Corinthians only managed to appear in the attack around the 21st minute, when Hugo deflected a ball towards the goal, but the play was annulled for offside.

Cruzeiro's response came immediately. In a play initiated by Arroyo, Kaio Jorge took advantage of the rebound after the Ecuadorian's shot and opened the scoring. Even with the lead, Cruzeiro maintained the pace and nearly extended it with a strong long-distance shot from Lucas Silva. Arroyo had another opportunity at the edge of the box, but the black-and-white defense managed to deflect it. Thus, the celestial team went to the break with a well-deserved superiority.

As soon as the ball started rolling again, Cruzeiro increased their lead. Just three minutes in, Arroyo received on the left and crossed into the box. The defense tried to clear it, but the ball fell again to Kaio Jorge, who struck firmly and scored his second of the night — reaching 21 goals in the Brasileirão and further isolating himself as the competition's top scorer, now three ahead of Arrascaeta.

With total control of the game, the celestial team reached the third goal at the 18th minute. Kaio Jorge sprinted from midfield, drove with freedom, and served Arroyo, who completed the play with a strong shot, leaving Felipe Longo with no chance.

Corinthians loses control and Cruzeiro manages

Corinthians' situation worsened at the 37th minute when José Martínez was sent off after assaulting Matheus Pereira off the ball — a decision confirmed by VAR. In the final minutes, Cruzeiro even found the net again with Luis Sinisterra, after a backheel pass from Gabigol, but the goal was annulled for an alleged foul by the forward.

Guaranteed qualification and strong home campaign

The victory puts Cruzeiro at 68 points, making it impossible to be surpassed by Botafogo, Bahia, and Fluminense, who can only reach 67, 65, and 64 points, respectively. Thus, the team secures a direct presence in the Libertadores group stage, crowning Leonardo Jardim's work throughout the season.

At Mineirão, the campaign remains impressive: 42 points earned in 18 games, with 13 wins, three draws, and only two losses — a record only surpassed by Flamengo, the leader in this aspect.

Celestial Agenda

After the victory over Corinthians, Cruzeiro turns its attention to the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship. The celestial team will face Ceará at Castelão, in Fortaleza. The match is scheduled for Saturday (29) at 9 PM (Brasília time).

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