There was no shortage of emotion to choose the second finalist of the Brazilian Cup – Corinthians beat Cruzeiro earlier – this Sunday evening at the Maracanã. After Vasco won the first game of the semi-final 2-1, Fluminense found the strength to come back: 1-0 in regulation time. But during the penalty shootout, Léo Jardim’s star shone by stopping two penalties.
Needing to overturn the disadvantage, Fluminense would try to put pressure on Vasco from the start of the match. But this possibility remained only in the realm of imagination. Luis Zubeldía’s team struggled to exchange passes in the middle of the field and had to resort to long throws to reach the attack.
Fernando Diniz’s team was keen not to “be satisfied with the result” and reaped the rewards by maintaining an offensive attitude. After Rayan calibrated his left foot, Andrés Gómez, who had already stood out during the first confrontation, once again gave the tricolor defense a hard time. Quick and skillful, the Colombian cleared two goals before shooting, which was difficult for Fábio to save. Before almost opening the scoring, the striker generated a yellow card for Samuel Xavier.
If Flu’s movements in the middle had no effect, the exit on the right side appeared as an alternative. Returning after serving his suspension, Canobbio showed why he is an untouchable player with Zubeldía and played a fundamental role in the team’s reaction in the match. Exploring the back of the field, the Uruguayan succeeds in a one-two with Samuel Xavier. As soon as the right back received the ball, number 17 rushed into the corridor.
No wonder, that’s exactly how the EQ came out. After Canobbio crossed with a cart, Everaldo deflected the first stick and hit the post. Then Paulo Henrique tried to cut in desperation, but he caught the ball badly and kicked it into his own goal. The right-back performed below expectations.
In the latter part of the first half, Vasco still had time to prepare his response. But Philippe Coutinho and Rayan stopped in front of an inspired Fábio. In the striker’s dangerous move, the goalkeeper stretched to avoid a superb free kick. And the scenario repeated itself during the second stage. This time, Fábio again asserted himself in the duel with Rayan, who tried to break through the “wall” with a powerful headbutt.
After Bernal replaced Nonato at the end of the break, Zubeldía didn’t even wait 15 minutes to bring on John Kennedy and Ganso: Everaldo and Lucho Acosta left. After Kevin Serna blocked Paulo Henrique, the “kid from Xerém” was well placed to redeem himself initially, but isolated himself in the final.
Diniz chose to make his first substitution after almost 30 minutes. Author of the decisive goal in the first match, Pablo Vegetti excited the Vasco supporters at the Maracanã. Despite this, the Argentine did not change the situation this time, while Fluminense was better in the final stretch of normal time, but failed to take aim.
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