Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro played out a 1-1 draw in the Copa do Brasil quarter-finals on August 26, 2026. The match at the Mineirão saw both sides trade blows without either finding a winner. K. Arroyo gave Cruzeiro the lead in the sixty-first minute, but R. Lodi equalised for Atlético Mineiro ten minutes later. The result leaves both teams needing a second leg to decide who progresses.
The opening exchanges were cagey, with neither side willing to commit too early. A substitution brought Ruan Tressoldi on in the nineteenth minute for Cruzeiro, suggesting some early tactical adjustment. Then came the first booking, Alan Franco collecting a yellow card just after the break. By then the game had settled into a rhythm of possession for the hosts and counter-attacks for the visitors.
Cruzeiro dominated the ball, holding 65 per cent possession across 585 passes compared to Atlético Mineiro's 314. They threw forward 122 attacks and completed 521 successful passes, though their shot accuracy was a poor eight per cent. Eight shots went off target with only one on target — K. Arroyo's goal came from that single effort. Their expected goals figure of 0.44 tells you they didn't create much of value.
Atlético Mineiro were less ambitious but more clinical. They registered three shots on target with thirty per cent accuracy, compared to Cruzeiro's one. Their expected goals stood at 0.57, slightly higher than their opponents despite having far less of the ball. They made 34 clearances against Cruzeiro's 14, and their goalkeeper made zero saves — not because he was busy, but because there was little to save.
Matheus Pereira picked up a yellow card in the fifty-fifth minute, and Cuello followed in the fifty-fourth. Atlético Mineiro brought on four players at the hour mark: Maycon, Bernard, Fagner and Wesley. Cruzeiro responded with Kaio Jorge, Gerson, Fred and M. Cassierra in the eighty-seventh minute, while Arroyo and Cuello were both substituted in stoppage time. It was a game that never really got out of second gear, and neither side saw the game out with any urgency once the score was level.
The draw means both clubs must now prepare for a return fixture. Cruzeiro remain on a good run from their recent results, having beaten Flamengo and Corinthians in their last five matches. Atlético Mineiro's form has been more inconsistent, with draws against Internacional and Red Bull Bragantino among their recent outings. The quarter-final tie is far from over.
