Vasco da Gama beat Cruzeiro 3-1 in the Brazilian Serie A on Saturday at Estadio Sao Joao. The hosts took control after trailing early and added two goals in stoppage time to complete a result that shifts momentum in their favour.
Tche Tche gave Vasco the lead in the 33rd minute before Lucas Freitas doubled the advantage in the 55th. Cruzeiro pulled one back through David in the 90+2nd minute, but Felipe Morais added a fourth just 40 seconds later to put the game beyond doubt.
Vasco dominated the chances despite having less possession. They created five big chances against one for Cruzeiro and registered 3.24 expected goals compared to 0.64. The hosts landed nine shots on target and hit the woodwork with several attempts, while Cruzeiro managed just six on target with their 55 per cent share of the ball.
The result leaves Vasco in 17th place on 25 points from 24 games, while Cruzeiro move into sixth with 39 points from 25 outings. The visitors had been unbeaten in three before this defeat, but they ran into a side that played in driving rain and hit them on the break.
Substitutions came thick and fast after the hour mark, with Vasco bringing on six players and Cruzeiro making two changes. Tche Tche was one of the first to come off in the 85th minute after a solid performance that ended a barren spell for the club.
What stands out is how Vasco turned things around. They had lost three of their last five before this match, including a heavy defeat at Palmeiras, but they pinned Cruzeiro back and bottled the result when it mattered. The goal difference now narrows the gap between them and the bottom half significantly.
