São Paulo ratings: Ferreira leads, Artur shines against Cruzeiro | OneFootball

São Paulo thrashed Cruzeiro 4-1 last Saturday at Morumbis in the opening match of the 10th round of the Brazilian Championship. Tricolor delivered a great collective performance, but a few names also deserve individual praise. Ferreira, with three goals, was the star of the night, while Artur, Rafael, Bobadilla, and Rafael Tolói also stood out. Wendell and Luciano, on the other hand, were the only ones who were a bit below par.

Ferreira was indeed the main man and left the field with no less than three goals to his name. Backed by Roger Machado for the attack, the No. 11 operated mostly down the left and was responsible for a large part of São Paulo’s attacking moves. He received plenty of through balls and made the right decisions in virtually every play, leaving the pitch with the first hat-trick of his career. He certainly made the most of the opportunity.

Artur left the field as one of São Paulo’s standouts for the second straight game. The No. 37 was heavily involved on the right flank and took on defenders whenever he got the ball. He moved well throughout the match and, on one of those plays, won the penalty that led to Calleri’s goal. He was also the one who launched the counterattack and set up Ferreira for Tricolor’s second goal. A very good performance.

Rafael also shone for São Paulo. The goalkeeper made at least two important saves at a time when São Paulo was under more pressure and was not to blame for the goal conceded. He saved the team on several occasions and deserves a mention.

Bobadilla was another player who caught the eye in a positive way. The midfielder returned to the starting lineup after the FIFA international break and formed a solid partnership with Marcos Antônio. The Paraguayan was important in ball circulation and in linking defense to attack alongside his teammate. On top of that, he also won important balls in midfield and worked hard defensively.

To wrap up the positive standouts, Rafael Tolói also deserves mention. The center back did not have an easy time containing Cruzeiro’s attackers, as shown by the nutmeg he suffered in an individual duel with Kaio Jorge, but he showed good positioning and made crucial clearances inside the box. A solid game.

Wendell, on the other hand, was one of the few who looked off for São Paulo. The left back seemed too rushed in defense and committed silly fouls, while also allowing a few balls in behind him. He struggled to mark Arroyo one-on-one and, going forward, offered very little. In the second half, he was nearly sent off after an altercation with Arroyo and left the field for Enzo Díaz. He did not make the most of the chance.

Finally, Luciano also had a quiet game. The player was tasked with orchestrating the team as a No. 10, but saw little of the ball and was not sharp in his decision-making, misplacing a few passes. Even so, his defensive contribution should be noted, as he sacrificed himself by tracking back after noticing that Cruzeiro had too much space in midfield.

League table situation

With the result, São Paulo returned to winning ways after three rounds, having come off two defeats and a draw. The São Paulo side moved up to 20 points and will end the day in second place in the Brasileirão after Fluminense stumbled against Coritiba. Now, the team will be hoping for Bahia to drop points when they host Palmeiras this Sunday.

São Paulo’s next matches

Boston River-URU x São Paulo (first round of the Copa Sudamericana) Date and time: 04/07 (Tuesday), at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Estadio Centenario, in Montevideo (Uruguay)

Vitória x São Paulo (11th round of the Brasileirão) Date and time: 04/11 (Saturday), at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Barradão, in Salvador (BA)

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