Vasco dominate in the air, have the league’s deadliest attack | OneFootball

Vasco da Gama has been standing out in the Brazilian Championship of 2025 for two factors that reflect well the style of play implemented by Fernando Diniz: offensive efficiency and aerial dominance. According to a survey by the profile Off the Four Lines (@pfqloficial), Cruzmaltino is the team with the highest accuracy in aerial duels in the competition, winning 361 out of 663 disputes, which represents a 54.4% success rate — the best index among all Serie A clubs.

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The aerial performance directly reflects in the results. Since Diniz's debut, Vasco has scored 35 goals, even surpassing Palmeiras and Flamengo, both with 33 in the same period. The number reinforces the offensive power of the team, which has an average close to two goals per game in 19 matches under the coach's command.

Even with top scorer Pablo Vegetti going through his longest goal drought with the Cruzmaltino shirt, the aerial ball continues to be a lethal weapon. Of the 35 goals scored with Diniz, 13 came from aerial plays — three of them in the 4-3 thrashing of Vitória in the last round at São Januário.

Balance is still a challenge

Despite the excellent offensive performance, Vasco is still trying to correct flaws in the defense. In the same period, the team conceded 30 goals, the fourth-worst performance in the Brasileirão — only ahead of Fortaleza (36), Bragantino (32), and Vitória (31).

Most of the goals conceded come from set pieces and quick transitions, points that the coach intends to adjust during the break for the FIFA Date. The period will also be important for the recovery of defender Carlos Cuesta, who missed the last two matches due to a thigh injury.

Diniz hopes to use the free time to regain the defensive consistency shown in the Colombian's first games as a starter and thus consolidate the balance between attack and defense.

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Fernando Diniz in Vasco x Vitória for the Brasileirão 2025 — Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

Eye on the table

With 33 points and in the 11th position, Vasco seeks to distance itself from the relegation zone — currently eight points above Vitória, the first team within the Z-4.

The team's challenge now is to maintain the good offensive volume without having to live "on the edge" in high-risk games. If it can adjust the defensive system, Cruzmaltino can dream of fighting closer to the top of the table.

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