Atletico Mineiro edge Cruzeiro in quarter-final thriller
Atletico Mineiro secured a 2-1 victory over Cruzeiro in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil on Tuesday. The hosts took the lead through a penalty converted by Kaio Jorge in the thirtieth minute before Victor Hugo and Fred struck late to seal the win. The result keeps the Minas Gerais side alive in the competition and extends their unbeaten run against their rivals.
Atletico dominated possession with 62% and created more chances than their opponents. They recorded 119 attacks and generated 2.29 expected goals, though their 29 shots only produced three on target. Cruzeiro had fewer opportunities, registering 84 attacks and 1.44 expected goals from 9 shots, with 4 on target.
The match grew increasingly tense after the interval. L. Villalba received two yellow cards in quick succession, earning a red card in the sixty-first minute and leaving Cruzeiro with ten men for the final half-hour. The visitors responded by making several changes, bringing on Natanael, Wesley, and others to try and salvage a result.
Atletico made five substitutions in the sixty-fifth minute, introducing Matheus Pereira, Gerson, Bernard, and A. Franco alongside Kaio Jorge. The changes brought fresh energy as the hosts looked to close out the tie. Fred scored the winner in the eighty-eighth minute after Victor Hugo had opened the scoring in the seventy-seventh.
Atletico Mineiro now advance to the semi-finals on aggregate, though the second leg remains to be played. The quarter-final victory ends a run of mixed results for the hosts, who had drawn their previous meeting with Cruzeiro 1-1 in August. Cruzeiro will need to regroup and improve their defensive organisation if they are to overturn the deficit.
