Atlético Mineiro secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Vitória at Arena MRV on Friday night, moving them further clear of trouble in the middle of the table. The hosts dominated possession but had to weather a late storm from the visitors who came looking for an equaliser. It was a match decided by moments rather than sustained pressure, and by then you could see which team valued their chances more.
T. Borbas opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a finish that caught Vitória off guard. He was brought off just after the hour mark, his work done, and the hosts continued to press forward. To be fair, Vitória didn't offer much in terms of clear-cut opportunities in the opening half, though they did throw bodies forward when it mattered.
Reinier doubled Atlético's lead in the 63rd minute, capitalising on a moment of weakness in the Vitória defence. The young Brazilian had been orchestrating play in midfield, and his goal came when the visitors were still finding their feet. Eighty-seven minutes had passed before Erick pulled one back for Vitória, a late consolation that came too late to change the outcome.
The statistics told a familiar story. Atlético Mineiro enjoyed 61 per cent of possession and created three big chances, while Vitória failed to register a single big opportunity of their own. The hosts registered eight shots on target against three for the visitors, and their expected goals figure of 1.46 versus 0.64 reflected the quality of chances on offer.
What mattered most was how the game unfolded in the final twenty minutes. Vitória threw everything forward after Erick's goal, but Atlético's goalkeeper made two crucial saves to preserve the lead. The visitors managed six saves of their own, mostly from range, but couldn't find the consistency needed to trouble the home defence.
The result moves Atlético Mineiro further from the relegation battle, sitting eighteenth with 36 points from 24 games. Vitória remain in the lower half, thirteen points from safety after 25 matches, and their recent form of three defeats in four games adds to their concerns. The clean-sheet run came to an end for the hosts, but they held on when it counted.
