São Paulo lacklustre v Mirassol, struggle amid crisis | OneFootball

By Thais Bueno

São Paulo had a lackluster performance, both on and off the field, in the 3-0 defeat to Mirassol last Sunday. The Tricolor seems unable to find its way amidst the crisis and has reached its seventh defeat in the last eight games, showing that the final stretch of the season could be more painful than expected after the great start under coach Hernán Crespo.

São Paulo came with many changes in the lineup that faced Grêmio midweek. Two of them drew more attention: the choice of Lucas as a starter instead of Luciano, forming a more mobile attack with Tapia, and the inclusion of the youngster Maik on the right wing, replacing Maílton.

The team started the match disorganized in defense and was punished with a lightning goal. Bobadilla made a passing error in the midfield and Mirassol regained possession. In a good play, the ball reached Reinaldo, who crossed it into the box. No one from the defense managed to clear it, and the ball reached Alesson, who headed it into the back of the net. Falling behind so early in the scoreline, the Tricolor had to quickly change the strategies planned for the game.

Mirassol handed possession to São Paulo, who exchanged many passes in the attacking field but failed to be effective in the final third. The Tricolor also began to press the home team's ball exit a lot, but such pressure did not have great effects.

In the first 20 minutes of the game, it seemed like every aerial ball in São Paulo's area was a cause for panic. In another ball lofted into the area, the Tricolor defense collided, and the ball fell to Cristian, who managed to shoot. The visiting team was saved by Rafael, who made a great save and prevented Mirassol's second goal. The scenario repeated itself a few minutes later, with Rafael making another good save from Alesson's header.

São Paulo was unable to create practically any dangerous chances on Walter's goal. The wings lacked width, not supporting the attack and leaving the game very centralized in the middle, making it easier for Mirassol to defend. There was also a great insistence on offensive aerial balls, even though Lucas and Tapia are not tall forwards.

Later, due to an individual error by Alan Franco, who committed a penalty on Carlos Eduardo, the Tricolor saw everything collapse and conceded the second goal, making the situation even more complicated. Marcos Antônio still had a chance to reduce the deficit in the last play, but Walter made a great save. São Paulo's first half, in general, was summed up by a lack of offensive and defensive organization.

Apathy on the field and on São Paulo's bench

São Paulo returned for the second half without changes, even with the need to seek a result. The Tricolor even managed a good approach with Maik reaching the byline and crossing, but Tapia shot over the goal. The apathy seemed to take over even the bench, as Crespo also did not change the pieces in search of a reaction.

The coach only made the first substitutions at 27 minutes into the second half, after São Paulo had already conceded the third goal from a somewhat controversial penalty. Moreover, the manager did not seek to make formation changes to make the team more offensive, only swapped the players: Lucas and Tapia left for Rigoni and Luciano to come in.

If before the 2-0 the game was already difficult for São Paulo, the third goal sealed the defeat and the Tricolor's dismay. Crespo's other changes also did not make much difference, and the Tricolor was absolutely dominated by Mirassol, who in the final minutes seemed to be in training mode.

The high number of absences cannot be an excuse for São Paulo's recent poor performances, which have been very disappointing, both in football and results. The team struggles to find solutions amidst the crisis and will need to improve a lot if it still wants to secure a direct spot in the Libertadores through the Brasileirão.

Standings Situation

With the result, São Paulo suffered its third consecutive defeat in the Brasileirão, and the crisis persists in this final stretch of the season. The Tricolor remains stuck in the eighth position in the Brasileirão, with 38 points, and saw the Libertadores spot become a bit more distant.

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