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Santos drew 0-0 in a difficult and truncated game against Cuiabá, this Monday (06.11), at Vila Belmiro, in the 32nd round of the Brazilian Championship. With the result, Peixe remained just one point behind Cruzeiro, the first team in the relegation zone.

Santos were unable to take advantage of playing at home in a packed stadium and performed poorly in the first half. Marcelo Fernandes’ strategy of returning to the 4-3-3 tactical scheme did not work, with problems with the ball and a fragile and disorganized midfield. As a result, Santos had difficulty creating plays. Cuiabá took advantage of the disorganization of the Santos team to put pressure on and give the defense a hard time, counting on good performances from Joaquim.

Despite a truncated game, the second half was more open, with chances for both teams. Santos had an opportunity with Silvera and Cuiabá with Derik, after a serious mistake by Júnior Caiçara. Marcelo Fernandes’ team improved at the end of the game, but failed to score a goal.

With the draw, Santos lost the chance to move away from the relegation zone and remains in 14th place, with 38 points. Cuiabá is in 12th, with 41 points.

In the next match, Santos will face Goiás on Thursday, at the Serrinha stadium, at 7pm. Cuiabá will play against Bahia, on the same day and time, at Arena Fonte Nova.

Overall, Santos failed in its game strategy. In the first half, the team performed very poorly, being dominated by Cuiabá, who played intelligently at Vila Belmiro. Santos had difficulty getting the ball out and encountered problems in midfield and marking. The lack of dynamism meant that the ball barely reached the attack, leaving Marcos Leonardo isolated.

The highlight of the game was Joaquim, who had excellent one-on-one performances, removing the danger for Cuiabá. On the other hand, Messias and João Lucas had insecure performances, with basic errors such as ball control and crossing.

A curious fact was the attitude of Deyverson, who acted provocatively during the match, applauding his former teammate from Cuiabá, Joaquim, and kissing the broadcast camera. These actions served as a provocation to Santos fans.

Although Santos improved in the second stage, with the changes made by Marcelo Fernandes, such as the addition of Nonato and Silvera, the team still found it difficult to fit in and create good scoring opportunities. Soteldo and Rincón even had chances, but were unable to convert them into goals. Santos’ first clear chance came with a cross from Silvera into the box, but no one managed to finish. Cuiabá also had a good chance, with Pitta heading dangerously.

Overall, the game was marked by a good defensive performance from both teams, which resulted in a goalless draw. Santos will have to improve their performance in the next matches to move away from the relegation zone and guarantee their stay in series A of the Brazilian Championship.

Source: Sports