Author: Serg Atrakhov, Vishwajit Sawant
Athletico-PR – Cuiabá – 2:0
This match ended matchday 19. In their last six games, Cuiabá have won five and drawn one. Atlético managed to win just twice in the same six games, drawing three times and losing to Fortaleza. In general, the visitors reasonably expected to take at least a draw away from the Arena da Baixada. But as early as the third minute, Cuiabá could find themselves in the bottom three. Vitor Bueno tried to test Walter’s reaction with a shot from distance. The goalkeeper saved a corner kick from the Atlético midfielder.
Until the end of the first half, that moment remained the only really dangerous one. Instead of building, the rivals focused on destruction. Note that in the last ten minutes of the first half, the players received 6 yellow cards (4 hosts – 2 visitors). It looked like the teams would go into the break level at 0-0, but in the 45th minute Khellven played a precise pass into the box for Agustín Canobbio. The Uruguayan played well in the second half, closing down Cuiabá’s goal – 1-0.
At the start of the second half (in the 52nd minute), Arturo Vidal made it 2-0, but the referee disallowed the Chilean’s goal for a handball. Trying to change the course of the game, Toni Oliveira brought on three new players at once in the 59th minute, but to no avail. In the 83rd minute, Bruno Zapelli doubled the Reds’ lead after a pass from Cuello.
The arena that hosted this exciting battle was the Ligga Arena, located in the heart of Coritiba. With the win, Athletico-PR climbed to 31 points in the Brazilian Championship and retained seventh place in the standings. Meanwhile, Cuiabá remain in eighth place with 28 points in total.
With the competition underway, Athletico-PR now have their sights set on a meeting with Goiás in the next round. Scheduled for next Monday at 8pm (Brasília time), the match promises to be a clash of titans, with the two teams vying for supremacy at Serrinha in Goiânia. On a side note, Cuiabá are set for an enthralling encounter on Saturday, when they face Palmeiras at 6.30pm (Brasília time) in the confines of the illustrious Arena Pantanal, located in their hometown.