With 100% success, the Cruzeiro is the champion of the Copa São Paulo 2026. In a decision played this Sunday, 25th, at Arena Mercado Livre Pacaembu, the team from Minas Gerais defeated current champion São Paulo, 2-1, and won the title of the country’s main youth tournament. Gustavinho, who scored a great goal in the second half, and William Almeida scored for the Cruzeiro team. Isac scored the tricolor goal.
This is the second title won by Cruzeiro in Copinha. The mining team won the grassroots competition for the first time in 2007, when they defeated São Paulo in the final.
The two teams reached the decision with campaigns of authority, which ended up reflecting in a balanced gamewith the teams studying each other in the first minutes and the vigor of youth setting the tone for the tough disputes. Despite the suspension of midfielder Eduardo PapeCruzeiro’s main player in the Copinha, the Minas Gerais team managed to create dangerous plays in counterattacks and got the better of the ball in the 12th minute of the first half, with left-back William appearing alone at the second post to head the ball into the net.
Pushed by the fans who, naturally, showed up in greater numbers at Pacaembu, São Paulo tried to respond immediately and created chances in individual plays by Tetê, but without danger. The tricolor team found it difficult to break into the celestial defense, reinforced by two fixed midfielders in Pape’s absence, and began to focus on high plays, but center forward Paulinho, the team’s standout in the competition, barely caught the ball.
Comfortable on the scoreboard, Cruzeiro slowed down the pace of the match and relied on counterattacks, especially on the left side. In addition to not being able to overcome the opponent’s block, São Paulo suffered from tackles and saw the team from Minas Gerais create good opportunities to go into the break with a greater advantage on the scoreboard, but failed to be careful and stopped due to good saves from goalkeeper João Pedro.
O Cruzeiro was punished for his lack of aim even before the break. Minutes after Cruzeiro goalkeeper Vitor Lamounier made an impressive save, defender Isac took advantage of the space in the small area to leave everything equal, in the 47th minute.
After a good initial stage, the teams returned from the break with a lower rotation. São Paulo, unlike the first half, managed to surround Cruzeiro’s area, finding spaces in long throws, and had the opportunity to turn the score around with aerial ball plays. THE Minas Gerais team continued to bet on counterattacks, but the excess of technical errors got in the way.
With the teams clearly worn out, the match lost emotion and the coaches appealed to the bench to oxygenate the teams. Full-back Gustavinho, who replaced William Almeida, appeared freely on the left and scored a great goal from outside the area, at 28 minutes. The ball also hit the post and the back of goalkeeper João Pedro before going into the back of the net.
Practically in the next minute, the referee signaled penalty for São Paulo after a foul by defender Kaiky on Paulinho, but the VAR indicated a foul outside the area and Lamounier made a great save from Igor Felisberto. The São Paulo tricolor went for the abafa, but was unable to develop adequate pressure to get closer to a draw.
São Paulo abused long crosses without danger and even had the misfortune of losing Felipe to injury and ending the game with ten on the field. Well closed in defense, the Minas Gerais team still managed to escape counterattacks and had chances to increase the score.
CRUISE 2 X 1 SÃO PAULO
CRUISE – Vitor Lamounier; Nicolas Pontes (Ivanilson), Kaiquy, Kelvin and William Almeida (Gustavinho); Alessandro (André), Murilo Rhikman, Cauan Baptistella (João Cervi) and Rayan Lelis (Pablo); Rhuan Gabriel and Fernando (Pietro). Coach: Luciano Dias.
SÃO PAULO – João Pedro; Igor Felisberto, Isac, Osorio, Nicolas (Guilherme Reis) and Djhordney; Tetê; Matheus Ferreira (Matheus Menezes), Gustavo Santana (Lucyan) and Pedro Ferreira; Paulinho (Felipe). Coach: Allan Barcellos.
REFEREE – Murilo Tarrega Victor.
GOALS – William Almeida, at 12, and Isac, at 47 in the first half; Gustavinho, 28 minutes into the second half.
YELLOW CARDS – William Almeida, Murilo Rhikman, André and Ivanilson (Cruzeiro); Matheus Ferreira (São Paulo).
PUBLIC – 19.000.
INCOME – R$ 471.000,00.
LOCAL – Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu, in São Paulo (SP).
*Estadão Content
