Goyás and Atlético Goianiense met at Estádio Hailé Pinheiro in the 30th round of Brazil's Serie B on Saturday evening, and the visitors took all three points with a 1-0 win. Guilherme Lopes struck in the 33rd minute to settle the contest, and despite Goyás controlling possession for most of the match, the hosts could not find an equaliser. The result moves Atlético Goianiense closer to a top-four finish while Goyás remain rooted in mid-table obscurity.
The decisive moment arrived when Lopes found space and finished clinically to put the visitors ahead. Goyás responded with urgency, pressing forward and generating territory, but Atlético Goianiense's defence dug in and absorbed the pressure. By then, the visitors had already established a structure that refused to crack, and Goyás were running out of games to make up ground.
Substitutions began to flow from both benches as the match wore on. Atlético Goianiense brought on Marrony da Silva Liberato Silveira and José Domingos de Moraes Neto in the 62nd minute, while Goyás responded with changes of Rodrigo Soares and Lucas Lima. The hosts added João Paulo Ferreira Lourenço and later Jean Carlos, but the pattern remained the same — Goyás creating chances without the quality to convert.
And here's the thing about the statistics: Goyás held 55% possession and fired 14 shots, yet created zero big chances with an expected goals tally of 1.29. Atlético Goianiense, with just 45% possession, registered two big chances and kept their goalkeeper busy with five saves to secure the clean sheet. The visitors made 36 clearances compared to Goyás's 26, showing they were prepared to do the dirty work when required.
To be fair, the standings tell a story this match confirmed rather than overturned. Atlético Goianiense sit sixth with 49 points from 30 games, while Goyás languish in 11th place on 42 points. The visitors extended their unbeaten run and closed the gap on the teams above them, while Goyás's hopes of a top-six push continued to fade.
