Novorizontino secured a 3-1 win over Avaí at Estádio Dr. Jorge Ismael de Biasi on Friday evening, moving further clear of the relegation zone while keeping pressure on the top of the Serie B standings. The hosts took control early, with Madson Ferreira dos Santos opening the scoring in the ninth minute before Avaí responded through Allyson Aires Dos Santos just before the quarter-hour mark.
The momentum shifted after a penalty miss in the 37th minute when Romulo Azevedo Simão saw his spot-kick saved, but by then Novorizontino had already regained their composure. Robson restored the lead in the 39th minute and Romulo added a late fourth-quarter goal on 45+7 minutes to give the hosts a comfortable cushion before the break.
And here's the thing about this performance: the statistics tell you everything you need to know. Novorizontino registered 2.64 expected goals compared to Avaí's 0.44, created five big chances against one, and maintained 53 per cent possession throughout. Eight shots on target for the hosts versus four for the visitors shows who was truly threatening.
Avaí, sitting 17th with 29 points from 26 matches, had another afternoon to forget after a run of two wins and three defeats in their last five outings. Novorizontino, third on 46 points, extended their recent good form with a third victory in four league games since their last defeat.
The result means the hosts move further from danger while Avaí's gap to safety remains concerning. Three substitutions each in the second half suggest both managers were making tactical adjustments, but the damage had already been done. Novorizontino now camp closer to the play-off places with a comfortable margin over the mid-table sides.
