Novorizontino ground out a win against Sport Recife in Serie B
Novorizontino secured a 2-1 victory over Sport Recife at the Estadio Doctor Jorge Ismael de Biasi on Thursday evening, moving further clear in the Serie B Regular Season. The match, played on 28 August 2026, came at a crucial stage with both sides looking to strengthen their mid-table positions. Novorizontino had been in stronger form recently, while Sport Recife showed signs of inconsistency away from home.
Romulo opened the scoring in the 41st minute, finishing what looked like a well-worked move. The Brazilian striker had been involved in several key moments throughout the first half, and his finish was clinical. By then, Novorizontino had already created the better chances, though Sport Recife had kept things tight at the back.
Sport Recife responded after the break, bringing on three players at the 61-minute mark in an attempt to shift momentum. Nicolas Careca, Ze Gabriel and Claudinho all came on as the visitors looked to find an equaliser. To be fair, they created opportunities, but their finishing lacked the edge needed against a disciplined Novorizontino defence that made clearances and interceptions at will.
Matheus Bianqui pulled one back for Sport Recife in the 77th minute, giving the away support hope of a point. The goal changed the complexion of the match, with both sides pushing forward in search of the winner. Novorizontino then made changes of their own, bringing on Leo Naldi and Diego Hernandez at 75 minutes, before substituting Romulo himself at 88 minutes.
The decisive moment arrived in the 91st minute when Pedro Perotti fired home for Novorizontino, snatching the victory at the death. The home crowd erupted as the final whistle approached, with Sport Recife unable to respond despite their dominance in possession. Yellow cards for Kayky Almeida, Juninho and Augusto marked the end of a tense closing period.
Match Statistics
- Novorizontino: 41% possession, 9 shots on target, 10 off target, 1.56 expected goals
- Sport Recife: 59% possession, 1 shot on target, 6 off target, 1.08 expected goals
Despite controlling 59% of the ball, Sport Recife could only manage one shot on target compared to Novorizontino's nine. The hosts created more danger, registering 1.56 expected goals against the visitors' 1.08. And here's the thing — the statistics show a clear mismatch between possession and actual threat.
Novorizontino moved further clear in fourth place with 43 points from 25 games, while Sport Recife remained eighth with 38 points. The result extended Novorizontino's recent good run, which included wins against Atletic and America Mineiro, while Sport Recife's inconsistency continued with mixed results in their last five outings. The gap between the two sides remains meaningful as the season heads toward its final stages.
