Gabigol scores stunner, Cruzeiro come from behind to beat Bahia away | OneFootball

Cruzeiro and Bahia faced off on Monday night (15), at the Arena Fonte Nova, in a match valid for the closing of the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship Series A. In a direct confrontation between teams fighting for the direct spot in the Libertadores, Cruzeiro was trying to assert its strength as a visitor, while Bahia wanted to make the most of the home factor in the "6 points" duel.

For the match, Leonardo Jardim had to make changes to the team: without being able to count on Lucas Silva, who was suspended, the Portuguese coach opted for the inclusion of Matheus Henrique in the starting 11, maintaining a tactical pattern already known by the Celeste fans. On the bench, two new options to debut: right-back Kauã Moraes and forward Arroyo.

First half

Bahia started the game trying to assert the home advantage and pressuring Cruzeiro in the exit, forcing the Celeste club to make mistakes and forcing Raposa to commit fouls to stop the most dangerous advances. The tricolor did not allow the Celeste team to have control of the possession and did not give spaces for infiltrations.

With great difficulty in leaving, Cruzeiro was trying to activate its attack with long balls, but the team continued to have many difficulties in dealing with the strong pressure from Bahia, which dominated the actions in the midfield. In one of the best moves, Matheus Henrique managed to steal the ball and pull off a good counterattack, serving Kaio Jorge who entered the area and shot wide.

Even when it managed to balance the match, Cruzeiro saw its players making many mistakes in construction, with pass errors and wrong decision making in the attacking field, which gave Bahia even more confidence to attack, raise their lines and pressure for more Cruzeiro mistakes. Santiago Arias and Sanabria received in good conditions to infiltrate and step into Cruzeiro's area, forcing the defenders to make interceptions and also Cássio to work.

The best moment of Cruzeiro was in the final minutes of the first half, when it raised its marking and reached the attack with majority and posed danger, with the ball always seeking the top scorer Kaio Jorge, but it could not convert the good chances, leaving the first half tied without goals.

Second half

The second half started without changes in the teams and with a proposal very different from what was the first. Both teams opened up and became more exposed, in search of attacking the opponent. The more open - and faster - game provided more offensive moves from both sides and with more balance in offensive transitions.

And it was at the best moment of Cruzeiro's game that Bahia scored its goal. On the counterattack, Acevedo made the inversion for Sanabria, the ball reached Jean Lucas who hit a beautiful shot, from outside the area, indefensible for goalkeeper Cássio, at 20 minutes. Bahia 1 to 0 Cruzeiro.

The goal suffered made Leonardo Jardim make three substitutions at once: Arroyo, Sinisterra and Gabigol came in, in the places of Christian, Wanderson and Kaio Jorge, respectively. With more speed and dribbling power, Cruzeiro raised its line even more and pressured Bahia, who defended and continued trying to counterattack. The changes were successful and Raposa rose with great force to the attacking field, reaching dangerous moves with Gabigol and Sinisterra.

It didn't take long for this Cruzeiro blitz to turn into a goal: Matheus Pereira in a great individual play, infiltrated in the area, dribbled the defense and shot with precision. The ball hit the post and came back clean, unmarked, to Sinisterra, who just pushed it into the goal. Bahia 1 to 1 Cruzeiro at 31 minutes of the final stage.

Feeling cramps, Kaiki was substituted for the entry of Kauã Prattes. Jardim's last card was the entry of Bolasie in place of Matheus Pereira, to give even more breath to the Celeste attack, which pressed in search of the turnaround and saw Bahia, now with difficulties, trying to attack, also with long passes.

And it was on a free kick that Cruzeiro sought the turnaround: on the short pass to Gabigol, he carried, reached the front of the area without marking and showed why he is predestined, hitting a spectacular shot in the angle of Ronaldo and marking Cruzeiro's turnaround. Bahia 1 to 2 Cruzeiro at 40 of the final stage.

All that was left for Bahia was total attack, forcing many balls forward and trying to seek the result at home. Cruzeiro, even with the advantage, was not content just to defend, continued seeking - now on counterattacks - to kill the match, activating Arroyo and Sinisterra in speed. But the game ended with Cruzeiro's victory by 2 to 1.

What's next...

Now the team led by Leonardo Jardim gets a week of recovery and training, returning to the field only next weekend, against Red Bull Bragantino, on Sunday (21), at 8:30 pm, for the 24th round of the Brazilian Championship Series A.

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