What a night for Cruzeiro! Under the sharp eye of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim, the team secured a crucial 2-0 victory. They faced city rivals Atlético Mineiro in the first leg of their Brazil Cup quarterfinal clash. The heated match unfolded on Wednesday evening in Belo Horizonte.
This wasn’t just any game; it was the famous Mineiro Derby, a true battle for state bragging rights. The action took place at the Rooster’s stadium, Atlético Mineiro’s home ground. Cruzeiro, who hold the record with six trophies in this competition, truly turned up the heat after halftime. Their winning goals both came in the second half.
Fabrício Bruno broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, putting Cruzeiro ahead. Then, Kaio Jorge doubled their lead just 14 minutes later, finding the net in the 64th minute. This strong away win gives Cruzeiro a significant advantage heading into the return fixture.
The decisive second leg is set for September 11th. It will be played at the Fox’s den, the iconic Mineirão Stadium, Cruzeiro’s home turf. Before that big cup showdown, both teams will jump back into the Brazilian championship this weekend. Atlético Mineiro travels to Vitória’s home ground on Sunday. Meanwhile, Cruzeiro will host São Paulo on Saturday, looking to keep their momentum going.