Vila Nova and Goiás played out a goalless draw in the Série B at Estádio Onizio Brasileiro Alvarenga on Thursday night. The match ended 0:0 after 90 minutes, with both sides unable to find a breakthrough despite creating chances. Vila Nova remain fifth in the table with 45 points from 27 games, while Goiás sit twelfth on 37 points.
The game was physical from the start, with yellow cards accumulating early. Lucas Ribeiro and João Pedro Vieira went off the pitch for fouls within the first 15 minutes. Hayner and Douglas Mendes added to the tally before half-time, with Eduardo Dos Santos and Bruno Xavier booked after the restart. André Luís received a yellow card in the 68th minute as the match became increasingly fragmented.
Hayner put Vila Nova ahead in the 67th minute, only for André Luís to level from the visitors just nine minutes later. The goals changed the complexion of the game, but neither side could hold on. Substitutions followed in quick succession, with both managers looking for a winner. Wellington Rato and Luiz Felipe Clemente de Almeida came on for Goiás in the 64th minute, while Vila Nova brought on João Paulo Ferreira Lourenço and Ramon Menezes.
The statistics tell a different story. Goiás dominated possession at 65 per cent and completed 490 passes compared to Vila Nova's 254. They created more attacks, 74 to 55, and registered seven corners against two. Yet their expected goals figure of 0.50 does not match the output, and they managed only four shots on target. Vila Nova, with 1.16 expected goals, were more clinical in front of goal and recorded eight shots on target.
The result leaves both teams in familiar positions. Vila Nova's five-point gap to the top half remains, while Goiás are seven points adrift of a promotion spot. The draw ended a run of mixed results for both sides, with Vila Nova coming off a heavy defeat to Athletico and Goiás having lost to Fortaleza. Neither manager will be satisfied with a point, but both will feel they had opportunities to take more.
