Vasco defeats Athletico-PR on penalties and advances to the Copa do Brasil semifinals

2 years back Normal Lance Writing 10 minutes reading time

Vasco beat Athletico-PR on penalties and advance to the Copa do Brasil semifinals. Find out everything about this great game!

THE Vasco made history by winning the Athletico-PR us penalties.

The match was full of excitement and twists and turns. The Rio de Janeiro team was defeated 2-1 in regulation time, but they didn't give up.

With the aggregate draw, the decision went to penalties.

At this moment, the Vasco shone.

They won 5-4, marking their passage to the semifinal.

This is amazing because the Vasco was not in semifinal from the Brazil Cup since 2011.

Now, Vasco waits to know who will be its opponent in the semifinal.

Regardless of the opponent, the São Januário club is ready to fight.

They are confident of reaching the final of the Brazil Cup.

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Vasco defeats Athletico-PR: Exciting match in Curitiba

The second leg of the quarter-finals of the Brazil Cup was between Athletico-PR and Vasco. It was in modern Ligga Arena, in Curitiba.

The match promised excitement, with Athletico looking to reverse Vasco's advantage.

A large crowd filled the stadium, creating an electrifying atmosphere.

Athletico entered the field with determination, knowing the importance of the game.

From the start, it was clear that it would be a balanced game.

The teams attacked each other, creating chances to goalVasco, with the advantage, was not intimidated and sought more points.

“We knew it would be a difficult match, but we were confident in our ability to achieve the classification.

The fans supported us from start to finish and that was fundamental for us to maintain the intensity throughout the game”, declared the coach of Athletico-PR after the match.

The tension increased with every move. Fouls, yellow cards, and harsh challenges marked the match.

Both teams had clear chances but failed to convert. The score remained tied until the end of the first half.

Athletico-PR's overwhelming start

Athletico-PR started the game with a lot of pressure at Vasco. The  Arena was full of energy in the first few minutes.

The home team wanted to show their power and win at any cost.

Athletico-PR attacked with force and created several chances to goal.

They hit the post four times and missed other clear chances. This showed they were far superior.

THE defense Vasco had difficulty stopping the attack from Athletico-PR.

Statistic	Value
Total audience	31,192 spectators
Game income	R$ 1,258,005.00
Goal for Athletico-PR	Erick (25 minutes of the 1st half)
Expulsion of Vasco	Hugo Moura (14 minutes into the 1st half)

With the support of their fans, Athletico-PR kept pushing. They wanted to win and lead the Brasileirão.

Vasco defeats Athletico-PR: Athletico-PR opens the scoring

It didn't take long for Athletico-PR to score the first goal against Vasco.

At 25 minutes, Cuello appeared alone at the far post. He finished the move and scored the first goal of the game.

This goal gave Athletico-PR, who had been pressing from the start, more momentum. The Paraná team seized the momentum to continue creating chances to extend their lead.

“We knew we needed to score early to control the game.

The goal of the Cuello was fundamental in giving us peace of mind on the field”, declared Athletico-PR coach, Martin Varini, after the match.

With the game open, Vasco had to come out more into the game.

They tried to match it, but the spaces left by Vasco defense allowed Athletico-PR to attack dangerously.

Team	Goals	Minutes
Athletico-PR	1	25′
Vasco	0	–

The goal of Cuello changed the game. From then on, Athletico-PR controlled the game and created the best chances.

They made good use of the spaces Vasco and almost scored more goals in the first half.

Athletico-PR started strong and scored quickly.

Cuello's goal gave them peace of mind, and they began to control the game. They created good chances to increase their lead.

Expanding the Athletican advantage

Right after the first goal, Athletico-PR increased the lead. Zapelli appeared in the area and scored the second goal.

Athletico-PR's pressure in the second half was paying off.

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With the score at 2-0, Vasco faced a major challenge. The Rio de Janeiro team needed to react quickly to avoid a negative result.

The game was becoming more tense for both teams.

“We knew we needed to take advantage of the opportunities we had.

THE Zapelli was happy to find the space in the area and define it well aerial ball.” – Comment from the Athletico-PR coach after the game.

Athletico-PR continued to impose its rhythm.

It created chances and made it difficult for Vasco to escape. The home crowd was pushing the Paraná team to do more.

Team	Goals	Minute
Athletico-PR	1	25′
Athletico-PR	2	32′

The numbers showed Athletico-PR's superiority.

The home team was good at finishing and imposing its style. Now, Vasco needed a comeback to stay in the match.

Vasco defeats Athletico-PR: Rayan sent off

Vasco's situation became more complicated when Rayan, a player on the team, attacked Esquivel, from Athletico-PR.

This resulted in the expulsion of RayanNow, Vasco has one less player on the field.

Former referee Sálvio Espínola believes the expulsion was fair.

He says that Rayan clearly attacked the opponent. This made it harder for Vasco to qualify.

"Rayan made a mistake, but he's improving. He's a young player and will learn from this episode. The important thing is that the team stayed united and qualified," commented C. Paiva, Vasco's coach.

Despite the expulsion, Vasco tried not to put too much pressure on Rayan.

They knew he might be seen as the culprit if they were eliminated.

But the focus was to keep searching for classification, even with one player less.

Player	Team	Minute	Card
Rayan	Vasco	45+2′	Red (Aggression)

Rayan's expulsion made the match more tense.

But Vasco managed to stay focused and scored with P. Vegetti in the 44th minute of the first half.

They took the decision to the penalties and won 5-4. Thus, they secured their place in the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

Vegetti reduces for Vasco

Even with Rayan's expulsion and the disadvantage on the scoreboard, Vasco did not give up. Vegetti, the center forward, showed his grit and determination.

In the 44th minute of the first half, he reduced the score for Vasco.

The goal of Vegetti was crucial in keeping Vasco alive in the match. This goal brought the game back to a tie on aggregate.

Vasco had won the first game 2-1. Vegetti showed his importance to the team and was decisive in difficult moments.

"We knew it would be a tough game, but we never stopped believing. My goal was important to keep us in the running and show our strength as a team." – Vegetti, center forward of Vasco.

Vegetti's goal brought relief to Vasco fans. It brought hope that the team could achieve classification us penalties.

Vegetti demonstrated his eye for goal and his ability to make decisions in crucial moments.

He proved to be a key player in Vasco's Copa do Brasil aspirations.

Player	Goals scored	Minute of the goal
Cuello (Athletico-PR)	1	25
Zapelli (Athletico-PR)	1	33
Vegetti (Vasco)	1	44

Vasco's second half of defensive application

In the second half, Vasco played with a man down. This happened because Rayan was sent off. Even so, the team showed a defense strong and well organized.

Athletico-PR had the chance to create good opportunities.

But the goalkeeper Leo Jardim made a difference. He defended skillfully, preventing Athletico-PR from scoring.

Leo Jardim was essential at that moment.

He made some important saves early in the second half. His work was crucial to Vasco's continued play.

He stood out for his agility and reflexes, ensuring Vasco's goal remained safe for the remaining 45 minutes.

THE defense Vasco's was also very important.

The defenders were alert and prevented Athletico-PR from scoring from the air. This helped keep the game balanced.

Statistics	Athletico-PR	Vasco
Shots on goal	8	2
Finalizations	25	–
Ball possession	68%	32%

Athletico-PR had more control of the game. But Vasco's defensive strategy was effective. Rafael Paiva knew how to position himself well on the field.

Individual performances, such as that of Leo Jardim, were crucial. They helped Vasco maintain the result and take the decision to penalties.

"We knew it would be a tough game, but we prepared well. The defense was focused, and we managed to neutralize Athletico-PR's key plays.

Léo was fundamental with his important saves.”
– Defender Maicon, from Vasco.

Vasco showed that a solid defense can be decisive.

They overcame the challenge of playing with ten men. This demonstrates the importance of tactics and player commitment in knockout matches.

Vasco defeats Athletico-PR: Penalty shootout

After a second half of much pressure from Athletico-PR, but without being able to increase the score, the decision of the place for the semifinal of the Copa do Brasil went to penalties.

And it was in the penalty shootout that goalkeeper Léo Jardim became the hero of Vasco's qualification.

In the penalty shootout, Vasco showed composure and precision, converting all of their attempts.

Rodríguez, Victor Luis, Mateus Carvalho, J. Sforza and Vegetti scored for Cruzmaltino.

For Athletico-PR, Pablo, Mastriani, Madson and João Cruz were accurate, but Canobbio was stopped by the Vasco goalkeeper.

Vasco	Athletico-PR
Sforza ✔	Pablo ✔
Puma Rodriguez ✔	Mastriani ✔
Victor Luis ✔	Madson ✔
Matthew Carvalho ✔	John Cruz ✔
Vegetti ✔	Canobbio ❌

In the decisive penalty, Vegetti was responsible for ensuring Vasco's qualification.

And the Argentine striker didn't waste the opportunity, shooting with class into the right corner of goalkeeper Léo Linck's net, who still hit the side but didn't reach it.

"It's a unique moment in my career. Being able to help Vasco reach the semifinals after so long is something that will stay with me forever. I'm very happy," Vegetti declared after the match.

With the 5-4 victory on penalties, Vasco broke a 13-year drought without reaching the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil.

The last time Cruzmaltino had gotten this far in the competition was in 2011, the year they won the title over Coritiba.

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Vasco defeats Athletico-PR: Conclusion

The match between Vasco and Athletico-PR in the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil was exciting.

Vasco managed to qualify for the semifinals. They faced difficulties, such as Rayan's sending-off in the first half.

Despite playing with one player less, Vasco showed strength.

Vegetti's goal in the final minutes of the first half was crucial. It kept Vasco alive in the competition.

In the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Léo saved Canobbio's shot.

Sforza, Puma Rodríguez, Victor Luís, Mateus Carvalho, and Vegetti all converted their shots, securing Vasco's place in the semifinals.

Now, Vasco awaits to find out who their opponent will be in the next stage.

Vasco fans are eager for more action. They hope the team will qualify for the grand final.