Cruzeiro debuts in the Copa Sudamericana with an away draw

This Thursday (4), Cruzeiro entered the field at the Atahualpa Olímpico stadium to face Universidad Católica, in Ecuador, marking its return to international competitions after a five-year hiatus.

The final score, 0x0, was the result of a game without many chances, where Cruzeiro showed little willingness to fight for a victory.

_{Cruzeiro team heading to Ecuador for this Thursday's dispute (4) (Photo: reproduction/Instagram/@cruzeiro)}

The clash, valid for the first round of the South American Championship, marked a crucial moment for the Brazilian team, which seeks to reaffirm its presence on the continental scene.

Like other clubs in Brazil, Cruzeiro also finds itself facing a double challenge, dividing its attention between the South American Championship and the Campeonato Mineiro.

With the state final scheduled for next Sunday (7), Raposa demonstrates determination to seek success both on the national and international scene.

For this reason, players like Arthur Gomes and Juan Dinenno did not even embark on the dispute, expanding a list of potential starters preserved as part of the strategy to be in full condition, aiming to win the title against rival Atlético-MG.

Cruzeiro dominates early on, but fails to convert chances

The beginning of the match had Cruzeiro pressing, but without effectiveness. Lacarmón's team controlled the game, dominated possession, showed reasonable organization, and had opportunities through Cifuentes and Machado.

The Ecuadorian team left something to be desired, as, even playing at home, with altitude in their favor and facing a team of reserves, they did not put significant pressure on their opponents.

When Cruzeiro began to show fatigue due to the effects of the conditions in which they are not used to playing, the opponent began to dominate the game, with Ismael Díaz's leading role creating danger with long-range shots and a header that went close to the post.

Minda also came close to scoring, but his shot was saved by Rafael Cabral. However, with Cruzeiro very predictable at the end of the match, the first half ended in the 47th minute with neither team managing to score in the first half.

Tired Cruzeiro struggles in defense; Católica fails to convert chances

The second half showed Cruzeiro's fatigue, as they played on the backfoot, with a large part of the team behind the midfield line. Despite building good plays, the team had difficulty reaching submissions.

Raposa even demonstrated determination to improve the final pass. Still, it was Universidad Católica who came closest to scoring. In the fourth minute, Cifuente tried a shot from outside the area, with Rafael palming the ball before it hit the crossbar.

Despite dominating possession of the ball, the Ecuadorian team was unable to convert this into clear scoring opportunities. Meanwhile, Cruzeiro focused on counterattacks, but found it difficult to create dangerous chances.

The result was a game without great emotions until the final whistle, with both teams showing little creativity and technical quality. With their debut, Cruzeiro accumulated a point for the away draw, and are now focusing on the next challenge, the final of the Campeonato Mineiro.

Featured photo: Cruzeiro shirt symbolizes the team's arrival in Ecuador (Reproduction/Marco Antônio Ferraz/Instagram/@cruzeiro)