Santa Cruz FC 0:1 Maranhão AC: Match Result

Match report

The match between Santo Cruz and Maranhão ended 1–0 to the visitors in the Brazilian Série C, matchday 17 on 15 August 2026. Felipe Cruz struck in the thirty-fourth minute to secure the win for Maranhão, who remain twelve places below their opponents in the table. Santo Cruz had dominated possession and territory but could not find the net despite a flurry of attempts. To be fair, the visitors looked dangerous on the break and made the most of their one clear opportunity. The only goal came from a quick transition. Maranhão broke forward after a Santo Cruz turnover and Felipe Cruz finished with a low shot past the goalkeeper. It was a rare moment of clarity in a game where the hosts spent most of their time chasing shadows. By then, Santo Cruz had already played a man out of position after Vitinho was replaced on the hour mark. There were plenty of bookings on both sides, twelve in total, though none were red cards. Santo Cruz accumulated four yellows, Maranhão three, with the rest coming from a mix of tactical fouls and late bookings. The referee kept a tight grip on the middle of the pitch, but the game never really broke into anything resembling a proper rhythm. And here's the thing: the cards tell you more about frustration than about the flow of the contest. Santo Cruz recorded sixty-six percent possession and ninety-five attacks, yet managed only eight shots on target. Maranhão, with thirty-four percent possession, hit five shots on target and converted one. The numbers suggest Santo Cruz wasted their chances, and that is exactly what happened. They had the ball, but the ball did not go anywhere useful. The result leaves Santo Cruz in eighth place on twenty-nine points after seventeen games, while Maranhão sit twelfth on twenty-seven points. Both sides have played nineteen matches in total, so this was a mid-table clash with little to play for in terms of promotion. Santo Cruz had been in decent form, drawing with Botafogo PB and beating Barra, but a loss to Maranhão does not shift the line much. Maranhão, meanwhile, extend their unbeaten run to four games without losing, though they have only won one of those. In the end, it was a match decided in the space of ten minutes. Santo Cruz controlled the tempo but lacked the final pass, while Maranhão waited, hit once, and held on. The table does not change dramatically, but the momentum has shifted slightly in favour of the visitors.

Prepared from match data

Key numbers

Possession, % 66 – 34

Shots on target 8 – 5

Shots off target 20 – 6

Attacks 95 – 74

🟨 8' Vitinho — Yellow card 🟨 22' Everaldo — Yellow card ⚽ 34' Felipe Cruz — Goal 🟨 37' Vander — Yellow card ⇄ 46' Alex Ruan — Substitution ⇄ 46' Vitinho — Substitution 🟨 46' Edson Miranda — Yellow card 🟨 54' Jean — Yellow card ⇄ 61' Edson Miranda — Substitution ⇄ 64' Luis Gustavo — Substitution ⇄ 67' Eron — Substitution ⇄ 72' Jorge Rocha — Substitution ⇄ 72' Will — Substitution ⇄ 73' Will — Substitution 🟨 77' Pedro Favela — Yellow card ⇄ 77' Everaldo — Substitution ⇄ 80' Felipe Cruz — Substitution 🟨 81' Rafael Teixeira — Yellow card

Match events

8' 0:0 Santa Cruz FC Yellow card Vitinho
22' 0:0 Santa Cruz FC Yellow card Everaldo
34' 0:1 Maranhão AC Goal Felipe Cruz
37' 0:1 Maranhão AC Yellow card Vander
46' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Substitution Alex Ruan off: Ze Mario
46' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Substitution Vitinho off: Cassiano
46' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Yellow card Edson Miranda
54' 0:1 Maranhão AC Yellow card Jean
61' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Substitution Edson Miranda off: Patrick Allan
64' 0:1 Maranhão AC Substitution Luis Gustavo off: Richarles
67' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Substitution Eron off: Tiago Marques
72' 0:1 Maranhão AC Substitution Jorge Rocha off: Rafael Teixeira
72' 0:1 Maranhão AC Substitution Will off: Mauricio
73' 0:1 Maranhão AC Substitution Will off: Mauricio
77' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Yellow card Pedro Favela
77' 0:1 Santa Cruz FC Substitution Everaldo off: Jhoninha
80' 0:1 Maranhão AC Substitution Felipe Cruz off: Erverson
81' 0:1 Maranhão AC Yellow card Rafael Teixeira

Statistics

66 Possession, % 34

8 Shots on target 5

20 Shots off target 6

95 Attacks 74

6 Corners 3

20 Free kicks 14

0 Offsides 0

4 Yellow cards 3

0 Red cards 0

6 Goal kicks 22

24 Throw-ins 22

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