Match Report
On the table this was a mismatch: Ipatinga (4th, 28 pts) held a 22-point advantage over Santa Cruz (12th, 6 pts). Recent form flatters Santa Cruz's table spot — 8th league-wide over the last five rounds while sitting 12th. Per game in the league, Santa Cruz were scoring 3 and conceding 0, Ipatinga 1.17 and 0.94, against a competition average of 1.11 goals per team per game.
Santa Cruz entered with five wins in a row. 10 matches unbeaten backed Ipatinga's arrival.
The venue was Estádio Jóse do Rego Maciel in Recife, with room for 60,044 spectators. Half-time and full-time told different stories: it was 0-0 at the break, before 3 more goals closed it at 2-1.


