“A scalded cat is afraid of cold water,” as the saying goes.
And because of this, and perhaps only because of this, even the most fanatical São Paulo supporter has been rejecting the label of favorite for the Campeonato Paulista title. They still find reasons to be wary.
We understand the reasons. But let’s be honest: it’s about time Tricolor found happiness again. And the performance the team has been showing on the field is more than enough reason for joy and smiles to become routine again at Morumbi.
The clash on Saturday night (21st) was yet another trial by fire for the team that, in less than two months, has been through so much. After all, since being bought by an Austrian beverage company, São Paulo had never beaten Bragantino on their turf. Well, the taboo is over.
On the night when Hernán Crespo reached his longest unbeaten streak as Tricolor coach (seven matches), the Morumbi club imposed itself, showed the weight of its jersey, and secured an easy 2-1 victory over the much-hyped opponent.
Smile, São Paulo fan, you are a semifinalist in the Paulistão. Now you just have to wait for the other matches to see who the opponent will be. And consequently, who will be the home team. All we know is that the single-leg match will take place next weekend. In the overall standings, São Paulo has 16 points and temporarily occupies third place, which gives them a great chance of being the home team in the clash (which won’t be at Morumbi, as it’s closed for the AC/DC concert).
For tonight’s match, Crespo made just one change from the last game: Bobadilla, recovered from injury, returned to the starting eleven in place of Pablo Maia, maintaining the 4-4-2 formation that is shaping up to be the team’s starting lineup for the season.
The decision proved to be the right one. The game started out a bit complicated for Tricolor, as Bragantino pushed their lines forward and tried to press São Paulo right from the start. The first 20 minutes saw a certain dominance from the home team, but it didn’t necessarily result in any real chances.
But above the collective quality, Tricolor has great individual talent—players aware of their tactical roles, visibly motivated and well-connected. And so, it didn’t take long for the scenario to change. The midfield managed to break down the opponent’s marking, which only didn’t lead to more because of passing errors in the build-up.
To make matters worse, the team went through a moment of instability when Lucas Ramon fell in the box after a challenge and complained about a penalty not given. As a result, Bragantino took advantage and forced a miraculous save from Rafael that could have changed the course of the game.
But we’re talking about São Paulo. And resilience has become a hallmark of this team. So, after the scare, things got back on track. This time, to settle things quickly. In the 39th minute, on a perfectly timed counterattack, Lucas Ramon broke free down the right and crossed. Luciano tried to deflect, missed, but their goalkeeper fumbled and pushed the ball into the middle of the box, where Bobadilla appeared to finish and score Tricolor’s first goal.
After the break, in the 6th minute, things moved toward a decision. In an excellent set-piece play, Danielzinho sent the ball into the box, Luciano flicked it on with his head, and Lucas, completely unmarked, slotted it into the back of the net.
The dominance was such that things seemed settled with a lackluster Bragantino. But changes in the São Paulo lineup disrupted the tactical discipline a bit and improved the home team’s productivity. In the 27th minute, the scare came, as Gustavo Marques deflected a corner kick to reduce the score.
It could have been the sign of a Bragantino comeback, but that was all. São Paulo got their tactical rhythm back on the field, and the home team couldn’t impose their pace to mount a substantial attack—at least until stoppage time, when the match turned chaotic after defender Alan Franco was sent off for a deliberate foul to stop a counterattack, earning his second yellow card. Their goalkeeper even went up for a corner to try to equalize and ended up being brought down by Pablo Maia, sparking a bit of a scuffle to heat things up, as any good knockout match should.
Now qualified in the State Championship, São Paulo turns its attention to the Brasileirão, where they are in the lead. They face Coritiba at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) this Wednesday (25th), away from home.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
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