Cruzeiro does poorly against ‘weak’ teams and no longer depends solely on themselves in the South American Championship

Cruzeiro does poorly against ‘weak’ teams and no longer depends solely on themselves in the South American Championship < In Attack

Fernando Seabra, Cruzeiro coach
(photo: Gustavo Aleixo/Cruzeiro)

Cruzeiro is on track to close the month of April on a low note, after a series of embarrassments in the Campeonato Mineiro, the Campeonato Brasileiro and the Copa Sudamericana. In the first two competitions, it is possible to say that the team failed against Atlético, an opponent with a more qualified squad. The same cannot be said about the poor performances in the continental tournament.

This Tuesday (23/4), Cruzeiro drew for the third time in a row in the South American Championship: 0-0 with Unión La Calera, at the Municipal Stadium of Concepción, in Chile. This result left Raposa in third place in Group B, with just three points.

The other draws were with Universidad Católica, from Ecuador (0-0, away from home); and Alianza, from Colombia (3-3, at home). One point that unites all these opponents is the theoretically low danger they present.

The poor campaign against small and medium-sized teams from weaker leagues exposes all of Cruzeiro’s main vulnerabilities.

Cruzeiro’s rivals in the South American Championship are doing poorly in their leagues

Of the three opponents in Group B, only Universidad Católica is in a favorable situation in their country. The Quito team is fourth in the Ecuadorian Championship, with 15 points from seven games.

Alianza is in 19th place in the Colombian Championship, with 16 points in 18 matches. The club has undergone a major overhaul in recent months, changed its name and city and is second to bottom of Clausura.

This Tuesday’s rival, Unión La Calera is in the relegation zone of the Chilean Championship. The dispute began not long ago, but the Cementeros are in 15th and penultimate position in the table, with six points in nine rounds. Even so, they have a better score than Cruzeiro in the Sudamericana.

Goalless draws and low technical level

In their debut, Raposa spared players and drew 0-0 with Universidad Católica. Despite the opponent having a lower squad, this was a match considered difficult due to the 2,850 meters of altitude in Quito.

Cruzeiro used an alternative lineup due to the final of the Campeonato Mineiro, which would be played three days later. During the 90 minutes, fans watched a truncated game with a low technical level. The team still struggled in defense.

Against Unión La Calera, Raposa once again played with a mixed formation. The reason this time was not a technical option, but due to the severe wear and tear of some members, who needed to be spared due to the accelerated pace of commitments and travel.

And, again, Cruzeiro didn’t perform well. The attack wasted good chances to score goals. The lack of aim, with only one of the 15 shots going towards the goal, caused the team to leave the match zero. The lack of balance could still be very harmful in the future, as he could depend on goal difference to advance to the round of 16.

Cruzeiro staged an embarrassment against Alianza

No game, however, was as remarkable as the 3-3 draw with Alianza. Cruzeiro scored three times in less than 20 minutes and showed signs that they would score a big rout at Mineirão.

Even in the first half, the visitors were already disturbing the Celestial defense, which performed very poorly. Individual and collective failures made Raposa fall apart throughout the second half and concede the draw in the final stoppage time.

The stumble at home, against an opponent who had not scored three goals in 85 away matches, sparked protests from the fans. The main target of criticism at Mineirão, goalkeeper Rafael Cabral left the club shortly after the international embarrassment. He was exchanged for Gabriel Grando, from Grêmio.

Group B Table

Catholic University: 7 points

Unión La Calera: 4 points

Only the first placed team in the group has a direct place in the round of 16. If they come in second place, Raposa will have to compete in a repechage stage against teams eliminated in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.

To play in the round of 16 of the South American Championship, Cruzeiro needs to do its part in the second round and support Universidad Católica. The star team no longer depends solely on themselves to reach the knockout stages without having to go through the playoffs.