Hot streak: São Paulo debut new kit, end 11-game hoodoo vs Atlético-MG | OneFootball

Pablo Maia celebrates his goal, the first of the match (Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)

RAFAEL EMILIANO@rafaelemilianoo

When it comes to superstition, São Paulo’s new jersey—a tribute to the shirt worn by idol Rogério Ceni during the 2005 world title run—has already secured its place in the hearts of Tricolor fans.

The result maintains the Tricolor’s good record in this Brasileirão under Hernán Crespo’s command and ends an uncomfortable drought.

With the victory, the club reached its eighth consecutive match without defeat in the national competition, with six wins and two draws. It also ends a streak of 11 straight games without beating Atlético-MG, an uncomfortable drought that had lasted since 2020.

SÃO PAULO’S WINNING GOALS

With this result, São Paulo reaches 32 points, tied with Botafogo and Mirassol, but sits in seventh place due to tiebreaker criteria.

The night started off dull at Morumbi, cold, just like the temperature in São Paulo’s capital (what a pathetic time to have a football match, by the way). Crespo’s lineup, keeping three center-backs but with three defensive midfielders in the central axis—without a true playmaker—hurt the pace. Even more so against an opponent with very little creativity.

Things only started to change at the 20-minute mark, when Marcos Antônio took the reins and assumed the role of São Paulo’s midfield brain, improving the team’s creativity and increasing their attacking volume.

And look, it didn’t take long for the result to show. At 22 minutes, it was Marcos Antônio who started the passing play that found Pablo Maia at the edge of the box, who spun past his marker and finished into Everson’s right corner to open the scoring.

That was exactly what São Paulo (and the match) needed, as the initial boredom faded a bit, with the Tricolor taking more control of the action on the field and managing to impose their rhythm with greater volume and intensity, appearing more consistently (and objectively) in attack.

There were two great chances created. One at 28 minutes, with Bobadilla receiving a well-placed pass from Marcos Antônio in the box and shooting wide. And also at 35, when the Minas team made a mistake in building from the back and Ferreirinha received a pass from André Silva, sprinted forward, beat the marker, and shot across goal for a good save by the Atlético goalkeeper.

Things were so calm and under control that the biggest scare for Tricolor fans didn’t come from the opponent, but from their own team. At 42 minutes, Marcos Antônio asked to be substituted after feeling his right hamstring. According to the broadcast, it was to avoid aggravating the situation. Sensible, since the player is expected to be called up for the Brazilian National Team this Monday (25th).

After the break, the scenario even reversed at first, with Atlético starting to dominate the action and impose their rhythm against a more defensive São Paulo, but without any real offensive threat, not even managing to trouble Rafael.

But soon Crespo made some changes and especially regained control of the midfield, perfecting the defensive compactness and managing to dictate the pace on the field.

Chances piled up, but all were missed. Until the stars aligned. And two names heavily criticized by the fans joined forces to decide the night for São Paulo. At 35 minutes, Luciano backheeled for Cédric to advance on the right and cross perfectly for Tapia, who dove in to head home and seal the win.

São Paulo returns to the field only next weekend, at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) on Sunday (31st), to face Cruzeiro at Mineirão, also for the Brasileirão.

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