Comeback win for Cruzeiro over Red Bull Bragantino, reclaiming second place | OneFootball

Cruzeiro and Red Bull Bragantino faced off on the night of this Sunday (21), at Mineirão, in a match valid for the 24th round of the Série A of the Brazilian Championship. The Raposa entered the field looking to maintain the good momentum they are experiencing this season, seeking their sixth consecutive victory, while Massa Bruta aimed to end a bad phase and much fluctuation in the season.

The celestial team entered the field aiming to secure three points and reach the mark of 50 points, to stay close to Flamengo and gain the second position in the table from Palmeiras. The visiting team, led by Fernando Seabra, sought a victory to establish themselves on the first page of the standings.

For tonight's match, coach Leonardo Jardim's team took to the field with the starting 11 already known to Cruzeiro fans, with no suspensions or injuries among the key players. The only absence for the celestial team came from the bench: Sinisterra, the scorer of one of the goals in the last match, was cut from the squad due to a muscle strain in his right thigh. Thus, the lineup and squad for the match were as follows:

First Half

The game started with Cruzeiro looking to apply that initial pressure with quick transitions, as has been customary for the team at Mineirão, while Red Bull sought to exploit counterattack opportunities to threaten the celestial defensive system. In a moment of error in the attacking field, Romero was forced to stop a dangerous play with a foul and received the first yellow card early on. The initial marking by the São Paulo team tried to prevent Cruzeiro from controlling the ball with their more offensive players, like Matheus Pereira and Kaio Jorge.

With more than 60% possession, Cruzeiro controlled the main actions of the game, facing a team that was initially content to close spaces and counterattack when possible. Despite controlling the game, Raposa couldn't create the best finishing options and ended up forcing shots from outside the area, with Romero and Kaio Jorge, the latter forcing goalkeeper Cleiton to make a great save.

Curiously, the best opportunity of the first half came with a low cross for Eduardo Sasha to shoot, even under pressure, forcing Cássio to make a great reflex save. Red Bull Bragantino's attack eventually paid off: John John received a pass at the edge of the area and, first-time, struck a powerful shot, opening the scoring at Mineirão at 25 minutes into the game. Cruzeiro 0-1 Red Bull Bragantino.

Cruzeiro tried to respond but found it very difficult to break through Red Bull Bragantino's strong midfield marking and couldn't create dangerous chances on the flanks. Despite having the flanks open for attack, Cruzeiro couldn't be effective, and plays didn't progress when they reached Wanderson, Christian, and William. Kaiki and Lucas Silva struggled to handle the opposing midfielder.

The shots from outside the area continued until one finally found its mark: Lucas Silva cleared the marking at the edge of the area and struck a beautiful shot, leaving Cleiton with no chance, equalizing the match at 46 minutes of the first half: Cruzeiro 1-1 Red Bull Bragantino. It was basically the last play of the half.

Second Half

For the second half, Leonardo Jardim opted not to make changes to the team and saw, in the early minutes, the visiting team pressing in the ball exit and creating good chances, forcing Cássio to make some good saves right away. Cruzeiro managed to grow after the initial scare and started to press Braga more. Christian received a beautiful pass from MP and, inside the area, cut and shot wide, which was, until then, Cruzeiro's best chance in the match.

Looking to strengthen the offensive power, trying to take advantage of the superior ball control, Leonardo Jardim changed the team at 15 minutes, bringing Gabigol on for Wanderson, changing the team's structure. With a more nervous game, referee Lucas Paulo Torezin began distributing cards, some with questionable criteria.

Another change made in Cruzeiro, which maintained ball possession and tried to make better use of their attacking moments, was the entry of Matheus Henrique for Lucas Romero, who was already booked. With more ability to create individually, Cruzeiro tried to overcome Braga's strong marking but without success.

The pressure eventually paid off: in a great ball switch, Matheus Pereira received in the area, at the byline, and passed back. Kaiki shot in a scramble, and the ball, with difficulty, ended up in the net. Cruzeiro 2-1 Red Bull Bragantino at 31 minutes of the second half.

Cruzeiro tried to maintain the attacking momentum and extend the lead, as Bragantino could no longer apply the effective marking they had in the first half, especially after switching sides, with Gabigol moving to the right and Christian to the left. But they remained alert to the counterattack chances the visiting team was trying to create. The physical drop of both teams reduced the usual fast pace of the match.

For the last substitution in the final stage, Leonardo Jardim opted to bring on two more attacking players: Bolasie and Marquinhos were called to replace Kaio Jorge and Matheus Pereira, respectively, already in the game's added time. Cruzeiro still ran down the clock at the end after winning two consecutive corners. End of the game and a comeback victory for Raposa.

What's Next...

Now Cruzeiro gains another full week of training, with no midweek games. The team returns to the field for the Brazilian Championship against Vasco, on Saturday (27), at São Januário.

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