Crespo hails São Paulo’s character: “We played with courage” | OneFootball

On Saturday night, São Paulo lost to Cruzeiro, 1-0, in a match valid for the 22nd round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. Coach Hernán Crespo assessed that Tricolor played good football and did not deserve to leave Mineirão with a defeat.

Even with ten absences, São Paulo imposed their game and were better in the match until the 18th minute of the first half, when Cruzeiro opened the scoring. Matheus Pereira took a free kick from the edge of the area and the ball deflected off Alan Franco’s head. Rafael even tried to recover, but it was too late, and Raposa secured the three points.

“The first feeling is that the team played, at times, great football. Overall, they played very well. I can’t be happy with the result. I think we didn’t deserve this result, but to play like this on a difficult field, against a very tough opponent, in this way, respecting our identity, the ball, the ideas. We played with a lot of will, a lot of personality and courage. After the game, people said it could have been a draw, but I don’t know. Maybe a draw would be a bit short, but we can’t change it. It’s hard to talk about the deflection, but it can happen, bad luck and luck are part of the game. It’s part of it,” analyzed the coach.

São Paulo created some clear goal opportunities, but what stood out most was the volume of play they showed. The Tricolor from São Paulo often reached Cruzeiro’s box and attempted some crosses, but none of the forwards managed to finish them into goals.

“We missed, we missed that finishing touch. The team played well, but that’s football, man. They found the goal on a deflected shot. We had many chances, but that’s football. It’s important to create opportunities, actions, try to defend well. The team’s performance was good, but was it enough to win? No,” said the coach.

With Calleri, Ryan Francisco, and André Silva out in attack, Crespo lined up Luciano and Ferreirinha as a duo. The two, however, did not have much success. In the second half, the coach brought on Tapia and Dinenno, as well as Henrique Carmo.

The coach’s changes almost led São Paulo to an equalizer. Already in stoppage time, Henrique Carmo reached the byline and crossed into the box. Dinenno won in the air and finished, but Cássio made the save and prevented Tricolor from equalizing at Mineirão. Crespo was then asked if the team lacked more forwards.

“I think the team played very well. To talk at this moment about what’s missing or not missing… I tried with the changes, I put in Dinenno, Tapia, Henrique to create. But I think the team behaved very well. It’s normal that if the result isn’t what we deserve, people say maybe things were missing here and there. Yes, maybe things are missing, but the team also played well. It’s not by chance,” he explained.

Wendell, a more offensive and experienced left-back than Patryck, was also brought on by Crespo. The player’s entry, however, only came in the 38th minute of the second half. The decision was justified by the coach, who explained that the athlete is just now returning from injury.

“The idea is always to try [with the changes]. Wendell, on a field like this, after a long time out… it’s not easy. There was the issue of minutes. Many times, we think about the alternatives. The team was playing well, and the changes were to create other things, to have a bit more weight up front, taking a bit of a risk in midfield. There are many things, yellow cards… I think, in general, the team behaved very well. So, there’s always the feeling that those who are out could help and do even more. At the end of the day, we deserved the draw, because coming here and playing like this on this field is not easy, and we played very well,” concluded the Argentine.

With the result, São Paulo’s eight-game unbeaten streak (six wins and two draws) in the Brasileirão came to an end. The Tricolor from São Paulo remains in seventh place, with 32 points, and missed the chance to, at least, spend the night in the G6.

Now, the Brazilian football calendar will pause for the FIFA international break. São Paulo will return to the pitch only in mid-September.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.