Grêmio advances to the final of the Copa do Brasil after a draw with Atlético-MG

Grêmio is the first finalist of the Copa do Brasil. Playing in Belo Horizonte, Tricolor Gaúcho drew 1-1 with Atlético-MG on Saturday night (7) and guaranteed qualification, as they had already won the first leg at home 2-0. Galo opened the scoring with Renan Lodi and at the end of the first half Carlos Vinícius left everything the same at Arena MRV. The draw also featured Grêmio goalkeeper Weverton, who made incredible saves.

This is the 10th time that the team from Rio Grande do Sul has qualified for the Copa do Brasil decision. The opponent in the final will be known this Sunday (8), after the return game between Vasco and Palmeiras, starting at 5 pm (Brasília time), at the São Januário Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro. Verdão won the first match of the semi-final in São Paulo 1-0.

The first half started at a fast pace. At 11 minutes, Grêmio had the chance to open the scoring. Enamorado stole the ball from Castanõ, started a counterattack and rolled the ball for Carlos Vinicius to shoot hard, but the ball went close to the left post. From then on, the pressure was all on Galo.

In the 12th minute, goalkeeper Weverton saved Tricolor Gaúcho twice: first he saved a strong shot from Castaño from outside the area and then grabbed a dangerous ball, headed by Vitão. With more possession of the ball, the miners opened the scoring in the 25th minute. The play started with Bernard, who passed to Renan Lodi, free of marking, to send a bomb from the edge of the area, into the top left corner of the goal. Galo had a real chance to expand in the 32nd minute, with a shot made by Bernard, but an attentive Weverton made a great save.

Atlético-MG controlled the match when Grêmio equalized in the 37th minute, with Noriega taking advantage of a rebound from a free kick and crossing the ball to Carlos Vinícius. The center forward headed the ball straight into the back of the net. Everything is the same at Arena MRV. The miners continued to threaten Grêmio's goal, without success. They finished the first stage with 73% possession of the ball and 15 shots, just four from the Gaucho team.

After the break, Grêmio coach Renato Gaúcho replaced striker Enamorado with midfielder Dodi and the team began to defend better. Needing a two-goal victory to define the classification on penalties, Galo went all out on the attack. In the 11th minute, Alan Franco shoots hard and almost breaks the tie for Galo, but the ball goes over the crossbar. In the 20th minute, another chance with Cuello, but he shot at Weverton, who saved safely.

Galo continued to insist and, in the 26th minute, Fred rolled a deep ball to Renan Lodi alone inside the area. When he went to shoot, goalkeeper Weverton was faster, went into the ballroom and prevented the goal. The match was still fierce when, in the 29th minute, a storm broke out in the stadium. The game was truncated. Then, at 39, Grêmio defender Vitão committed a foul when he hit Braitewaite with a high foot. The referee issued a yellow card, but after VAR intervention, the move was reviewed and the defender was sent off. With one less on the field, the Minas Gerais team ended up neutralized and the match ended 1-1.