Grêmio defeated Atlético-MG 2-0 on Sunday, November 1, in front of more than 50,000 people at the Arena, taking an advantage into the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinal. Carlos Vinícius and Erick Noriega scored for Grêmio, with one goal coming in each half.
The result leaves Grêmio in a favorable position ahead of the return match. The team can lose by a one-goal margin in that game and still secure a place in the final, according to the match report. The second leg is scheduled for Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m. at Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte.
The two goals came at important points in the match: Carlos Vinícius opened the scoring after 11 minutes, and Noriega doubled Grêmio’s lead in the first minute of the second half. Atlético-MG had more possession in both halves and created several opportunities, but did not score. The visitors also hit the crossbar before the final whistle, while Grêmio held on to its two-goal lead.
The opening goal followed a goal kick by Grêmio goalkeeper Weverton. Lyanco was unable to intercept the ball, which reached Carlos Vinícius. The Grêmio forward controlled it, dribbled past Léo Duarte and finished to make the score 1-0.
The early goal gave Grêmio the lead before the match had reached its 12th minute. The sequence began with a long delivery from Weverton and continued when Lyanco could not cut it out. Carlos Vinícius then took advantage of the loose ball, beat the defender who moved to challenge him and put his shot into the net. The goal was the first of the afternoon and established the advantage Grêmio carried into halftime.
Atlético-MG responded by having more of the ball during the first half and looking for openings in attack. Bernard, Maycon, Cuello and Lyanco were among the players who created chances, but none of those opportunities resulted in a goal. Grêmio went into the interval ahead despite Atlético-MG’s greater share of possession and its efforts to find an equalizer.
Possession and scoring are separate measures of a match. Having the ball for longer can allow a team to build attacks, but it does not by itself produce a goal. In this case, Atlético-MG’s possession and chances did not change the score in the first half, while Grêmio converted one of its opportunities. The 1-0 lead therefore remained in place when the teams returned for the second half.
Grêmio extended that lead almost immediately after play resumed. In the first minute of the second half, João Pedro combined with Enamorado on the right side and sent a cross into the penalty area. Noriega finished the move and scored Grêmio’s second goal, making it 2-0.
The timing gave Grêmio a larger cushion early in the half and changed the task facing Atlético-MG. The visiting side needed to score at least once to reduce the deficit, while Grêmio could defend its advantage and look for opportunities to attack. Noriega’s finish completed the scoring for Grêmio, but the match still had much of the second half to play.
Atlético-MG continued to have more possession and registered more shots as the game progressed. The team also struck the crossbar, coming close to scoring, but the attempt did not result in a goal. Grêmio’s defense kept Atlético-MG from turning its pressure into a score, and the home side finished the match with its two-goal advantage intact.
The final score gives Grêmio a lead to take into the second leg, but the semifinal is not yet decided. The return match will be played at Arena MRV in Belo Horizonte on Saturday, November 7, at 6 p.m. Under the position described after the first game, Grêmio can be defeated by one goal and still advance to the final. The teams will meet again to determine which one reaches the Copa do Brasil final.
In stoppage time, at the 50-minute mark, Grêmio defender Gustavo Martins received a second yellow card and was sent off. The dismissal followed a foul on Cuello. Because it came in the closing moments, it occurred after Grêmio had already established its 2-0 lead. The red card was the final major disciplinary event reported from the match.
The match also came during a busy stretch of the Brazilian season. Both teams are scheduled to return to action on Wednesday, November 4, in the 34th round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. Grêmio will face Flamengo at the Maracanã, while Atlético-MG will play Botafogo at Estádio Nilton Santos.
Those league fixtures take place three days before the teams’ Copa do Brasil rematch. Grêmio’s next match is away to Flamengo, and Atlético-MG’s is away to Botafogo. After those games, both sides will turn their attention back to the semifinal, with the second leg set to decide whether Grêmio’s advantage is enough to secure a place in the final or Atlético-MG can overcome the deficit.
For Grêmio, the first-leg performance produced two goals and a clean sheet in front of a crowd of more than 50,000 at the Arena. Carlos Vinícius scored from the sequence that began with Weverton’s goal kick, and Noriega added the second after João Pedro and Enamorado combined on the right. For Atlético-MG, the match included spells of greater possession and several chances, as well as a shot against the crossbar, but no goal. The 2-0 result is the basis for the teams’ next meeting in Belo Horizonte.
