Cruzeiro down to 10 for all second half, hold Católica to a draw | OneFootball

Even playing away from home and with one man down from the start of the second half, Cruzeiro managed to leave Santiago with an important point in the Copa Libertadores.

The Minas Gerais side drew 0-0 with Universidad Católica this Wednesday (6) in a match valid for the fourth round of Group D, and showed strong defensive resilience after Keny Arroyo was sent off with a straight red card in a decision heavily disputed by Cruzeiro’s players. Under pressure for much of the second half, Artur Jorge’s team delivered a solid defensive performance to hold the result at Claro Arena.

MATCH SUMMARY

The first half in Santiago was very balanced, with a slippery pitch due to the rain and plenty of physical battles. Universidad Católica threatened early, but Cruzeiro responded with dangerous bursts on the counter, especially through Kaio Jorge and Arroyo.

Cruzeiro’s best chance came in the 18th minute, when Kaio Jorge ran onto a through ball after a mistake between the center-back and the goalkeeper, found himself with the goal almost wide open, but finished very poorly. Matheus Pereira also had a chance after a move created by Christian, but the Chilean defense cleared it off the line.

At the other end, Otávio came up big in at least three key moments, stopping efforts from Montes and Giani and preventing the home side from taking the lead. The first half was also marked by an excessive number of fouls, complaints, and cards, with Romero, Kaiki, and Giani all booked in a game officiated with confusion and inconsistent criteria.

After the break, the picture changed quickly. Just two minutes into the second half, Keny Arroyo was sent off after a challenge on Zuqui, in a play strongly contested by Cruzeiro’s players and upheld by the referee after a conversation with the assistant. With one player fewer for virtually the entire second half, the Minas Gerais side dropped deeper and shifted into survival mode defensively.

Católica increased the pressure with constant crosses and shots from Palavecino, Zampedri, Giani, and Valencia, but found Otávio dependable throughout the second half. The goalkeeper made important saves on a header from Zampedri, a close-range shot from Giani inside the box, and several high claims.

Even under pressure, Cruzeiro still managed to break out on a few counterattacks and nearly threatened with a first-time shot from Matheus Pereira. In the final minutes, the Chileans intensified the pressure with a series of corners and even penalty appeals involving Medel and Gerson, but Cruzeiro’s defense held firm until the final whistle.

NEXT STEPS

With the draw, Cruzeiro moved up to seven points and remained firmly in the race for a place in the Libertadores round of 16, in a group marked by how evenly matched the teams are. The performance in Chile reinforced the team’s competitiveness even in adverse circumstances, especially its ability to withstand Católica’s pressure for virtually the entire second half.

Now, Raposa turns its focus to the Brazilian Championship, where it faces another difficult away challenge against Bahia as it looks to maintain its positive run this season. The match will be next Saturday (9) at 9 p.m. at Fonte Nova, in the 15th round.

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