The draws of Ceará and Fortaleza with São Paulo (2-2) and Juventude (1-1), respectively, on Saturday (28) at night, show the different realities that rivals live this season. At the same time that they make history by qualifying for the knockout stages of the South American competitions they compete in, white-and-whites and tricolors suffer at the bottom of the Brazilian Championship.
Ceará went to the game against São Paulo, in Morumbi, in the capital of São Paulo, rocked by the 2-0 victory over Independiente (Argentina), away from home, last Wednesday (25), which ensured a use of 100% in the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana. Coach Dorival Júnior, however, spared the two main names in the squad – midfielder Vina and striker Stiven Mendoza – from the starting lineup. The steering wheel Rodrigo Lindoso, in turn, felt discomfort in the left back and was cut just before the ball rolled.
Vozão felt the absences and was dominated by Tricolor in the first half. Cléber even swung the nets for Alvinegro, but fellow striker Jonathan Calleri and midfielder Rodrigo Nestor left the hosts ahead before the break. Dorival then sent Vina and Mendoza to the field for the final stage. The titular duo gave the team a new look, which tied with a goal from the Colombian, validated after intervention by the video referee (VAR).
The equality frustrated São Paulo, who could sleep in the lead of the Brasileiro and ended up remaining, provisionally, in second position, with 13 points, being able to be surpassed by up to four clubs in the sequence of the round. In Ceará, despite the situation in the table, the point added away from home was considered positive. Alvinegro, with six points, remains in the relegation zone, in 18th place, two points behind Cuiabá, the last team outside the Z4. The team can return to the vice-lantern if Atlético-GO scores on Monday (30), at 8 pm (Brasilia time), against Internacional, in Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre.
“We haven’t lost our attitude, but we are having a lot of casualties from one round to the next, in addition to a very short recovery period. Our logistics are very different from what happens with most teams, especially those in the Center-South of the country. This has a lot of weight. We are returning from a game that ended practically at dawn from Wednesday to Thursday [26]two and a half days, then we’re on the field”, justified Dorival, in a press conference, after the duel in Morumbi.
The speech does not differ much from that adopted by Juan Pablo Vojvoda, Fortaleza’s coach, after the draw at Arena Castelão, in Ceará’s capital, with Juventude. Leão do Pici came out behind, with forward Vitor Gabriel scoring for the gauchos at the beginning of the second half. The tie came with midfielder José Welison, after a free kick. Tricolor continues without winning in the Brazilian and added only the second point in seven games, in the lantern of the championship. The club from Caxias do Sul (RS), with seven points, is in 17th, opening the Z4.
In parallel to the bad campaign in the Brazilian, Fortaleza lives a dream in Libertadores. Newcomer in the competition, Leão do Pici qualified for the round of 16 with a 4-3 victory over Colo-Colo (Chile), away from home, last Tuesday (24). After a bad start in the continental tournament (two defeats), Tricolor reacted, amending three triumphs and a draw in the following four rounds.
“The reality is we needed the three points [no Brasileiro]. [Contra o Juventude] We didn’t have the operation of the last matches. In the first half, we didn’t have the circulation and mobility that we can have. It’s no excuse, but the physical part is also important in Brazilian football. This is not the intensity of our team. Three days ago we played a very strong match, qualifying in the Libertadores”, declared Vojvoda.
The next commitment between Ceará and Fortaleza, for the Brazilian, curiously, will be the clash between them. This Wednesday’s match (1st), at 8:30 pm, at Arena Castelão, is for the third round and had been postponed because of the Ceará Championship final, between Leão do Pici and Caucaia. The expectation of Vozão and Tricolor is that the Clássico-Rei will mark the resumption of the national competition.
