Bittersweet draw between Fortaleza and Gremio in Castellan

Fortaleza and Gremio experienced another frustrating night at Castellan. They needed a win to breathe some life into the relegation battle, but a series of individual mistakes resulted in a 2-2 draw on Round 33 of the Brasileirão this Sunday (9th).

The match started quickly. Just four minutes later, Fortaleza scored the first goal. After some hesitation from the Grêmio defense, the ball fell to Barreiro, who slotted home well from the edge of the area. This was the ideal scenario for Leanne, who sought to reassure his rival by imposing intensity.

However, the advantage did not last long. Brenno, 11, was the key player in a game-changing move. Fortaleza’s goalkeeper was unaware of Carlos Vinicius behind him and put the ball on the ground for a throw-in. The attacker stole the ball and beat the goalkeeper to tie the score. This move dismantled Martin Palermo’s team and Gremio quickly grew.

The turning point came at number 27. Carlos Vinicius, who started on the right, freed Marlon, and the midfielder felt comfortable clearing Brites and hitting the ball. The game went into half-time at 2-1, with Fortaleza in disarray and Gremio in control.

Palermo returned from the locker room with three changes and a new attitude. Fortaleza started pressing higher and Gremio moved back too far. The equalizing goal came in the 19th minute with what looked like an easy free kick. As Matheus Pereira went over the wall, the ball curved and covered Thiago Volpi, who took a step forward but was unable to react. It was the second goalie error of the night.

Since then, the duel has become even more intense. Fortaleza tried to maintain an attacking rhythm, but was unable to convert the volume into decisive chances. Grêmio bet on a counterattack, stopped by Aravena with a good save from Brennno, who gave the goalkeeper an important reaction after a mistake in the first half, and Aravena almost regained the lead.

Matheus Pereira was sent off in stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card, and Fortaleza were put under more pressure in the closing stages, but the score remained unchanged.

The draw kept Fortaleza in the Z-4 ​​and increased the tension between the teams in the final stages. For Gremio, this result frustrated their chances of gaining an advantage against their direct competitors, but still kept the team out of the relegation zone.