Vasco play it safe, beat Boavista and bag three points in the Carioca | OneFootball

Vasco defeated Boavista 3-0 on Sunday night at the Elcyr Resende stadium in Bacaxá, during the 4th round of the Campeonato Carioca. With two goals from Puma Rodríguez and one from Andrés Gómez, the Vasco team confirmed their favoritism, overcame the difficulties posed by the pitch, and took an important step towards securing a spot in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Even away from São Januário, Vasco took control of the match from the first minutes. The team maintained extensive ball possession, occupied the offensive field, and tried to impose their rhythm but found it difficult to turn dominance into clear chances. Boavista, well-positioned defensively, relied on long balls and tried to exploit the space behind Vasco's defense.

The first great opportunity was for Vasco. At 31 minutes, Puma Rodríguez crossed from the right, and after a scramble in the area, Tchê Tchê appeared free in the small area but was stopped by a great save from goalkeeper Lucas Maticoli. Boavista responded with quick counterattacks, forcing Daniel Fuzato to leave the area on more than one occasion to prevent dangerous shots.

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Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

The scenario changed after the technical timeout. Vasco became more effective and found the way to the goal at the end of the first half. At 46 minutes, JP set up Andrés Gómez on the left. The forward crossed, the ball deflected off the defense, and fell cleanly to Puma Rodríguez, who struck firmly inside the area to open the scoring.

After the break, Boavista tried to push their lines forward and began to trouble more in the early minutes. Shortly into the second half, Fellipinho almost equalized after dribbling Fuzato but lost the angle and squandered the chance. Vasco's response was immediate.

At 19 minutes into the second half, the Vasco team extended their lead. Johan Rojas made a play on the right side, cut inside, and found Puma Rodríguez with a precise pass inside the area. The right-back struck powerfully and scored his second of the match, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.

With the lead extended, Vasco controlled the game more calmly. Fernando Diniz made substitutions to manage the team's rhythm and give the squad some playtime. Guilherme Estrella entered the midfield, while David was brought on in the attack, replacing GB and Andrés Gómez, respectively.

Even with the changes, Vasco remained dangerous. Before leaving the field, Andrés Gómez still had a good chance early in the second half, with a placed shot that went very close to the post. The Colombian, however, did not leave empty-handed.

At 24 minutes, after another good exchange of passes in the attack, Andrés Gómez appeared well-positioned and finished to score Vasco's third goal of the match, sealing the victory in Bacaxá. Boavista still tried to react but was stopped by Vasco's good defensive performance and another consistent night from goalkeeper Daniel Fuzato.

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Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

The result keeps Vasco alive in the fight for a spot in the quarter-finals of the Campeonato Carioca and gives the team confidence during a transition period marked by significant departures and the arrival of reinforcements. The team showed improvement in offensive efficiency and defensive solidity, points considered essential by the coaching staff for the continuation of the season.

In the next round, Vasco returns to the field looking to confirm their qualification and maintain their good form in the state championship, while Boavista tries to recover to stay in the qualification zone of their group.

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