Paulista secured a 2-1 victory over Primavera SP in the Copa Paulista on Friday evening, closing out their Group Stage 6 fixture with a result that shifts momentum in their favour. Primavera had dominated possession at 53 per cent and registered more attacks than their visitors, but the match turned on moments rather than sustained pressure.
The opening goal arrived just before the interval when Gabriel Tobias turned the ball into his own net at 45+2, a mistake that gave Paulista the lead they would not surrender. Kauan Cunha doubled the advantage two minutes later at 45+4, and Luis Gustavo added a third at 57 to put the game beyond doubt.
Paulista's away form has been inconsistent but this result follows a 1-0 win against Juventus on 15 August and extends their unbeaten run in their last two competitive meetings with Primavera — they drew 1-1 in July before losing 1-0 away. Primavera, meanwhile, have won four of their last five matches but dropped points in two of those.
Statistically, Primavera edged the attack count 79 to 72 and held 53 per cent possession, yet their three corners compared to Paulista's three tells a different story — they created space but not necessarily clear-cut opportunities. Both sides received one yellow card, and the difference in goal kicks (one for Primavera, none for Paulista) suggests Paulista were more efficient in keeping the ball alive.
The result leaves Paulista with a positive record in their recent head-to-head encounters and moves them into a stronger position in Group 6. Primavera will need to be more clinical if they are to recover from this setback.