In four rounds, Vasco drop out of the G6 race and now target 45 points | OneFootball

Less than three weeks ago, the outlook was promising for Vasco. The team was five points behind Bahia, then in sixth place, and was preparing for a direct clash with São Paulo at São Januário. A win could have put Fernando Diniz’s team in real contention for a spot in the G6. But a streak of four consecutive defeats completely changed the atmosphere. Today, the concern is different: reaching 45 points as soon as possible to avoid any scares in the final stretch of the Brasileirão.

From a surge to a collapse

After beating Bragantino, Vasco racked up 18 points from the last 21 contested, a performance worthy of a team fighting at the top of the table. In tough matches — Cruzeiro, Bahia, Fluminense, Fortaleza, and Bragantino away — the team showed strength, competitiveness, and evolution.

Everything changed after the defeat to São Paulo. Despite a promising first half, the team fell behind after a penalty by Paulo Henrique. Diniz took a risk by bringing on Matheus França for Barros, and Vasco ended up losing balance. They conceded a second goal and were close to conceding more.

The defeat was costly: São Paulo overtook Vasco in the standings, and the chance to catch up with Botafogo and Fluminense, in sixth and seventh places, slipped further away.

+ Tchê Tchê admits crisis at Vasco and sends a strong message

Fernando Diniz in Grêmio vs Vasco for the 2025 Brasileirão — Photo: Maxi Franzoi/AGIF

Traumatic derby and internal wear

In the following round, Botafogo dominated Vasco with a 3-0 win, in a match that shook the squad’s confidence. Diniz repeated the tactical plan from the previous match, once again betting on Matheus França as the second midfielder — a decision that immediately met with resistance from the fans. The strategy had worked against Vitória, but in a completely different context.

The worst was yet to come: a 3-1 defeat to Juventude at São Januário, with individual errors and a repeat of the same tactical approach. The fans lost patience. Diniz was called “dumb,” while França and Tchê Tchê were booed.

The FIFA break seemed like the ideal moment to reorganize the house. But the coach lost Paulo Henrique, Puma Rodríguez, Cuesta, and Andrés Gómez, all called up by their national teams. With few options, Diniz reshuffled the team: Hugo returned to defense, Vegetti regained his starting spot, Tchê Tchê was improvised at full-back, and Thiago Mendes was given a chance.

Even with Puma returning before the end of the break, Diniz kept Tchê Tchê in midfield. In Porto Alegre, nothing worked. Grêmio dominated Vasco from start to finish, and only Léo Jardim and Rayan performed above average.

Pressure mounts and threat of the Z-4 reappears

Internally, before the match against Grêmio, the message was already clear: reach 45 points as soon as possible. The defeat left Vasco just six points from the Z-4, precisely at a time when Vitória and Santos have responded in the Brasileirão. The team could end the round in 14th place if Ceará and Corinthians pick up points against São Paulo and Internacional.

+ Player’s wife reassures Vasco fans and guarantees midfielder is 100% fit

Amuzu celebrates Grêmio’s goal against Vasco — Photo: Maxi Franzoi/AGIF

Decisive run ahead

The next match will be away: Vasco faces Bahia on Sunday at Arena Fonte Nova. The Bahia team, currently seventh, is aiming for a direct spot in the Libertadores. Recent history doesn’t help: Vasco hasn’t beaten Bahia in Salvador since 2012.

Next, Vasco hosts Internacional, currently in 15th place, in a match that could take on dramatic contours if the team fails to pick up points at Fonte Nova.

Before the Copa do Brasil semifinals, the last two rounds of the Brasileirão will be against:

The conclusion is clear: the reaction needs to be immediate. The margin for error is gone.

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