Matheus Pereira goal sees Cruzeiro beat Coritiba, close on top five | OneFootball

Cruzeiro put the stumble against Botafogo behind them and returned to winning ways in the Brazilian Championship. On the night of this Thursday (30), the team from Belo Horizonte beat Coritiba 1-0 at Couto Pereira, in Curitiba, in the 21st round of the competition. Matheus Pereira scored the winning goal in the second half after receiving an assist from Gerson, securing three important points for Artur Jorge’s side.

The match had different moments for Cruzeiro, who had to deal with spells of pressure from the opponent, but found the way to goal in the second half and managed the advantage until the final whistle. The result came just a few days after the 1-0 defeat to Botafogo at Mineirão and served as a quick response from the team in the competition.

MATCH SUMMARY

The first half offered few clear chances for either side. Cruzeiro mainly tried their luck with medium- and long-range shots. Keny Arroyo showed up twice, while Matheus Pereira and Felipe Morais also attempted efforts from outside the box. William had a good chance from a free kick, but the ball missed the target.

Cruzeiro’s best chance in the opening half, however, fell to Matheus Pereira. In the 20th minute, the midfielder received the ball from Gabriel Rojas and struck with his left foot, but sent it wide. Shortly after, in the 28th minute, Lucas Ronier forced Otávio into action with a shot from outside the box, while Josué also had an effort saved by the Cruzeiro goalkeeper.

Coritiba also threatened with aerial balls and counterattacks. Bruno Melo had a shot blocked inside the box, and Thiago Santos wasted an opportunity from outside the area. The first half ended goalless.

After the break, Cruzeiro increased their attacking presence and began creating more chances. Two minutes in, William shot wide, while Arroyo had an effort blocked. In the 11th minute, Jonathan Jesus also tried from distance and forced a save from the opposing goalkeeper. Felipe Morais and Gerson had other attempts blocked by the Coritiba defense.

Cruzeiro’s pressure was finally rewarded in the 21st minute. After a fine move involving Kaique Kenji and Gerson, Matheus Pereira received the ball from the midfielder inside the box and finished with his left foot to open the scoring: 1-0 to Cruzeiro.

After the goal, the match became even more lively. Cruzeiro had to deal with important physical issues. Gerson left the field injured in the 24th minute and was replaced by Matheus Henrique. Shortly after, Matheus Pereira also needed treatment after being fouled, but remained on the field.

Coach Artur Jorge made further changes throughout the second half, bringing on Kaique Kenji, Marquinhos, Bruno Rodrigues, and Lucas Villalba. Kaio Jorge left the match in the 40th minute, while Gabriel Rojas was substituted a minute later.

In the closing stages, Coritiba pushed for an equalizer and applied more pressure. Lucas Ronier, Tinga, Jacy, Felipe Jonatan, and Josué had shots blocked or wasted chances. Deep into stoppage time, the home side even piled up corners and long-range efforts, but Cruzeiro’s defense managed to hold firm.

Cruzeiro still had one last good chance through Matheus Pereira in the 43rd minute, but the midfielder shot wide. During the six minutes of stoppage time, the Belo Horizonte side had to withstand pressure from the Paraná team, but held on to the lead until the final whistle.

With the result, Cruzeiro picked up three important away points and closed out the match with a win built on second-half efficiency and the ability to resist Coritiba’s late surge. Matheus Pereira’s goal was enough to secure Cruzeiro’s victory at Couto Pereira.

Standings

With the win in Paraná, Cruzeiro moved up to 30 points and climbed four places in the standings. The team now sits in seventh place, once again close to the qualification zone for the 2027 Copa Libertadores. Bahia, in fifth place, has 32 points and currently occupies the last spot within the group that guarantees a place in the continental competition.

Coritiba, on the other hand, failed to make home advantage count and remained on 27 points. The defeat caused the Paraná side to drop one place and fall to 11th in the table.

The away win keeps Cruzeiro in the fight for the top positions and gives the team fresh momentum after the defeat to Botafogo. With the points earned in Curitiba, the Belo Horizonte side cuts the gap to the G-5 and remains firmly in the race for a place in the next edition of the Libertadores.

Cruzeiro schedule

Now, Cruzeiro temporarily puts the Brazilian Championship aside to turn its attention back to the Copa do Brasil. The Belo Horizonte side will face Chapecoense in the round of 16 of the national competition.

The first match of the tie will be played this Sunday (2), at 6:30 p.m. Brasília time, at Arena Condá in Chapecó. The return leg is scheduled for next Wednesday (5), at 7 p.m. Brasília time, at Mineirão in Belo Horizonte. Artur Jorge’s team is looking to advance to the quarterfinals and will have the advantage of deciding qualification in front of its home fans.

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