Aerial balls haunt Vasco in 2026, 57% of goals conceded come from crosses | OneFootball

The aerial ball has been Vasco's main weakness at the start of the season. Of the seven goals conceded in 2026, four came from crossing plays or set pieces, which represents 57% of the goals conceded. This data raises an alert in the defensive system and increases the concern of the coaching staff.

In the 1-0 defeat to Bahia at São Januário, the scenario repeated itself. After a corner kick by Everton Ribeiro, the ball was passed back to Luciano Juba, who finished with precision to secure the opponent's victory. The play once again highlighted positioning and coverage difficulties in defensive marking.

After the match, coach Fernando Diniz commented on the play and acknowledged the problem:

— When we concede a goal from an aerial ball, it wasn't Cuesta's or Saldívia's fault; usually, someone fails in individual marking, and today it was a positioning error. There was a gap there; they drew us into the small area, and we went. They played the ball backward; there should have been at least one player in that position where the ball went in. It was a play similar to the one we did against Corinthians, where Thiago Mendes almost scored with a header, but the difference is that Juba went with his foot. We have been working hard to avoid these aerial and set-piece goals.

Analyzing the plays, the coach's explanation is supported: there was an own goal, positioning errors, and decision-making failures — factors that are repeated in Cruz-Maltino's games.

+ Judicial turnaround: Vasco refuses to return R$ 700 thousand to Arena das Dunas and demands another R$ 300 thousand

Luciano Juba celebrates goal scored against Vasco (Photo: Delmiro dos Santos Junior/Mochila Press)

See the goals conceded by Vasco from aerial plays in 2026

Against Mirassol, after Vasco opened the scoring with Philippe Coutinho, the opponent's equalizer came from a play on the right. The ball was lifted into the area, Renato Marques headed it to the middle of the small area, and Cuesta, trying to clear it, scored an own goal.

Against Flamengo, the goal in the 1-0 defeat also originated from a ball lifted into the area. After a cross, there was a partial header clearance, and the ball fell to Carrascal, who finished first-time, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.

Against Maricá, in the Carioca Championship, Vasco conceded its first goal from a corner in the season. Marcelo rose freely near the penalty spot to head and score. In the play, the marking was disorganized, with a clear tracking failure.

The numbers show that the problem is not limited to a single player or an isolated play but rather a defensive pattern that needs urgent adjustments.

+ Ceni admits struggle against Vasco and cites crucial factor for Bahia's victory: “Vegetti wasn't there”

Vasco's coach, Fernando Diniz, gives a press conference after the defeat to Bahia (Photo: Pedro Cobalea / Lance!)

Vasco's next match

Vasco returns to the field on Saturday (14), at 9:30 PM, to face Volta Redonda in a decisive quarter-final match of the Carioca Championship. The expectation is for the team to show defensive improvement, especially in set pieces, a fundamental aspect that has been costly at the start of 2026.

With a series of important games, correcting the defensive “Achilles' heel” will be crucial to avoid further setbacks and regain the fans' confidence.

+ Follow Papo na Colina's social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and Google News.

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