Cruzeiro beat Grêmio to climb out of Brasileiro drop zone | OneFootball

Dominant throughout the match, Cruzeiro delivered a consistent performance and beat Grêmio 2-0 on Saturday night (18) at Mineirão in Belo Horizonte, in the 12th round of the Brazilian Championship. The goals came in the second half, with Christian and Lucas Romero securing the positive result.

The win confirms the team’s good form, as Cruzeiro claimed its second straight victory in the competition, repeating the result from the previous round, when it defeated Bragantino, also at home. At Mineirão, in fact, Artur Jorge’s side is enjoying a solid run, with three consecutive home wins, including the result against Vitória.

MATCH SUMMARY

The match began with Cruzeiro looking more aggressive and spending more time in the attacking half, creating the first chances, mainly through Matheus Pereira and Arroyo. In the opening minutes, the Minas Gerais side was already threatening, using crosses and plays down the flanks, while Grêmio tried to respond with quick transitions. Grêmio’s best chance in the first half came from Enamorado, who hit the post after an individual move. Despite Cruzeiro’s attacking pressure and Weverton’s good saves, the score remained level until halftime.

After the break, Cruzeiro maintained its intensity and was rewarded early. In the 5th minute, Christian received the ball inside the box, turned between defenders and finished accurately to open the scoring. The goal gave Artur Jorge’s team even more control, and it began managing the game with possession and quick breaks.

Grêmio tried to respond with changes and a greater attacking presence, but struggled against a well-organized defense. Meanwhile, Cruzeiro kept creating dangerous chances, especially on counterattacks. In the 21st minute, Matheus Pereira made a good run through the middle and set up Lucas Romero, who scored from outside the box to double the lead.

In the closing stages, the game became more open. Cruzeiro had chances to turn the win into a rout, including a shot off the crossbar from Neyser, while Grêmio also wasted good opportunities, such as efforts from Gustavo Martins and Braithwaite, both off target.

With control of the game and greater efficiency in finishing, Cruzeiro sealed the 2-0 win, capping a consistent performance from start to finish in front of its fans.

NEXT STEPS

Since Artur Jorge’s arrival, Cruzeiro has collected nine points in four matches, reaching a 75% success rate. The positive run has also been reflected in the standings: the team has moved out of the relegation zone and now has 13 points.

The scenario was helped by Corinthians’ goalless draw against Vitória in Salvador, which kept the São Paulo side below them in the table. Meanwhile, Grêmio dropped places and now sits 14th, on the same number of points, but behind on tiebreakers.

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