What a thrilling night at Morumbi! On Wednesday, August 28th, Atlético-MG secured a dramatic 1-0 win against São Paulo in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals, thanks to a late goal by Battaglia.
The second leg will be held in Belo Horizonte on September 12, just after the international break, with kickoff at 9:45 PM Brasília time. Atlético-MG now holds the edge going into the return match.
Before the game even started, the night was marked by heartfelt tributes to Juan Izquierdo, a Nacional-URU defender who sadly passed away earlier in the week after a sudden illness during a match against São Paulo.
On the field, the first half was a bit quiet, with only a few moments of real excitement. Early on, Arboleda had a chance with a header, but Atlético-MG’s defense was quick to block it.
The second half saw a more open game with both teams pushing harder. In the 3rd minute, Wellington Rato tried his luck from outside the box, but Everson made a fantastic save. Shortly after, Gustavo Scarpa nearly scored with a well-placed corner, but Calleri managed to clear it away.
São Paulo had their own opportunities as well. Rafinha’s cross found Sabino in the 22nd minute, but he couldn’t finish. In the 38th minute, Sabino again was close to scoring but was thwarted by a save from Everson.
The most frustrating miss came in the 43rd minute when Bobadilla’s cross found Lucas Moura, but the header went wide.
As the game approached stoppage time, the tension was high. Then, Gustavo Scarpa delivered a superb free-kick, and Battaglia made no mistake with a header that found the corner of the net, giving Atlético-MG a crucial lead.
Looking ahead, São Paulo has a busy schedule. They will face Fluminense on September 1st, followed by the return leg against Atlético-MG on September 12th. Their upcoming Brasileirão match against Cruzeiro is yet to be scheduled.
Atlético-MG, meanwhile, will play against Grêmio on September 1st and then take on São Paulo again on September 12th. They will also have a Brasileirão match against Bahia, with the date still to be determined.
This victory has given Atlético-MG a significant advantage as they head into the second leg, and the upcoming matches are sure to be just as exciting!
