Palmeiras lose top spot amid chaos and Carlos Miguel brilliance | OneFootball

João Linhares

Palmeiras left Vila Belmiro defeated 1-0, in a derby marked by collective difficulties, problems in midfield, and a fluctuation that proved costly for Abel Ferreira’s team. The result caused Verdão to lose the lead in the Brasileirão to Flamengo, adding even more weight to their below-par performance.

In the first half, Santos were superior. Abel admitted as much by stating that the engine of the midfield didn’t work, and the match confirmed this assessment: Palmeiras missed half of their passes in the build-up, lost second balls, and struggled greatly to progress.

The lack of intensity from Aníbal and the little inspiration from Maurício and Veiga contributed to a sector unable to provide dynamism and support to the attack. The team also felt defensive insecurity, especially with Micael, who had a turbulent night in both distribution and recovery.

Even so, Santos didn’t create many clear chances, and that was almost exclusively thanks to Carlos Miguel, Palmeiras’ best player on the pitch. The goalkeeper made important saves and kept the scoreline in check while the team tried to find itself.

In the second half, Palmeiras improved, largely driven by the introductions of Luighi and Flaco López, who completely changed the team’s attacking posture. Luighi brought speed, depth, and clarity to the plays, while Flaco took on a leading role, sought one-twos, finished, and created the team’s best opportunities. Still, the lack of precision in the final decisions—a problem that plagued the team throughout the match—prevented the equalizer.

The defeat not only changes the standings but also raises important questions for the remainder of the championship. Despite numerous absences, the team experienced a night when the gears didn’t work, the midfield lost intensity, and the attack took too long to show up—and even when it did, it couldn’t convert.

Now, Palmeiras turns its attention to the next fixture, knowing it cannot repeat the creative and competitive failures shown at Vila Belmiro if it wants to reclaim the lead in the final stretch of the championship.

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