Brazilian champion after 50 years, Atlético-MG took a big step towards winning the Copa do Brasil. With goals from Hulk, Keno and Vargas (2), the team thrashed Athletico by 4-0, this Sunday (12), at Mineirão. It is the first time in the history of the competition that a team has achieved such an elastic score in the fight for the title.
The return game will be on Wednesday (15), at 9:30 pm, at Arena da Baixada, in Curitiba. The team from Paraná will have the tough mission of at least returning the defeat by four goals to try to take the decision to penalties. There is no tie-breaking criterion for a goal scored away from home in the competition.
If the champion of Curitiba comes out, Atlético-MG, coached by Cuca, will be the second club to raise, in the same season, the state cups, the Campeonato Brasileiro and the Copa do Brasil. The only person who has achieved the feat so far was the arch-rival Cruzeiro, in 2003.
Pushed by Alvinegra fans, who filled the stadium and sang all the time, the Minas Gerais team started attacking and dominated possession. The only reason he didn’t open the scoring after eight minutes was because Thiago Heleno, almost on the line, managed to cut a header from Diego Costa.
Shortly thereafter, Diego Costa, apparently suffering from knee pain, asked to be replaced. Cuca called the Chilean Vargas. Dejected, Diego Costa waved “goodbye” to the crowd, didn’t even go through the reserve bench and went to the locker room. Rodrigo Lasmar, Atletico-MG’s doctor, followed the athlete, but was unable to convince him to examine him.
On minute 20, Zaracho threw the ball into the area, and the ball hit Léo Cittadini’s arm. Referee Bruno Arleu de Araújo scored the penalty. On the kick, Hulk hit hard and on the left corner of Santos, who hit the side, but did not reach the ball.
It was the seventh goal by Hulk, who was the top scorer at the Brazilian, with 19 goals, and also leads the scorers table in the Copa do Brasil. To date, only Gabigol, for Flamengo, achieved the top scorer post in both national competitions, in 2019.
The Athletico, cornered in the defense field, could not have the peace to think about how to react. Keno expanded in the 34th minute, after changing passes from the Atleticans from the defense field. He received it at intermediate and sent a bomb in the right corner of Santos.
In the final stage, Thiago Heleno, who had been the best at Athletico, made life easier for the miners. The defender, inside the area, gave the ball for free to Hulk, who kicked it across. Santos palmed, and Vargas took advantage of the rebound to score the third goal, in the tenth minute.
With a good advantage, the team from Alvinegro didn’t move and knew how to take advantage of the spaces offered by the visitors. In another lethal attack with the participation of Jair and Nacho, Hulk played for Vargas to score his second goal of the match, at 23.
Euphoric, the crowd screamed “it’s champion” at Mineirão. Alberto Valentim felt the blow and took refuge in the reserve bench.
Thiago Heleno, with three yellow cards, is out of the match in Curitiba.
National achievement is welcome for club finances. The prize for the title is R$56 million, and the vice will pocket R$23 million.
On the way to the final this Sunday, the two teams received R$ 15 million each, counting the bonuses of the third phase (R$ 1.7 million), round of 16 (R$ 2.7 million), quarters (R$ 3.4 million) and the semifinal (R$7.3 million).
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