From apathy to intensity, Atlético is transformed and the second half becomes an example of a sprint | athletico-pr

Fortaleza could have scored 4-0 in the first half only. Besides the goal, Bergson had three clear chances. In one, he kicked under Santos’ legs, but the ball missed. In another two the striker finished off, but Pedro Henrique saved almost above the line.

– Things get more difficult with each passing game. We know. It’s complicated. I don’t know how many games we always run behind the scoreboard. It never gets ahead. That’s what the Fortaleza team knows how to do. They were far superior to us – Nikão summed up in the interval.

As soon as the first half was over, Thiago Heleno and Wellington gathered all the players on the field to talk. The conversation paid off and Hurricane returned with a completely different stance for the second half, with great intensity and dedication.

Athletico managed to turn around. At 16, Kayzer crossed low, and Carlos Eduardo, who had just entered, struck first so that everything was equal. And, at 45, Kayzer stole the ball in the area and hit the corner. The 79 shirt spoke of the pact the players made at halftime.

– Those ghosts that surrounded us in those games that we had lost had let us down. But we got together, we made a pact to believe until the end and, thank God, they were all very warriors, and we left with today’s victory – said Renato Kayzer in an interview with Furacão Play after the match.

Besides the “pact” between the players, other factors contributed to the change. With Carlos Eduardo at the helm, Atlético gained speed and intensity. With Erick and Abner at their sides, Huracán showed more consistency and balance: Márcio Azevedo missed the Atlético-GO goal.

The victory also passed through the offensive sector. Athletico created much more than in previous games. It ended with 20 presentations, against 11 from Goiás. The team still needs to improve their aim, of course, but it is a positive sign for the sequence of the season.

– It is a feeling of relief and happiness. We talked a lot during the break and we knew that today the sequence would change. I’m very happy with the team’s performance in the second half. We play like Atlético, imposing ourselves, with focus and confidence – said Christian via advisor.

The physical trainer Túlio Flores, who led Atlético on the bench due to the suspension of Paulo Autuori, analyzed this change from time to time.

-I think the first part was due to the moment we lived in the championship. We were coming off a long streak without winning and we joined a match, at home, where we hadn’t won for a while … So it becomes a tense match. In the second half, with the guidelines and some changes, in addition to raising team morale, we managed to be more effective with the ball – said the coach at a press conference.

Atlético’s next game will be against Goiás, at 5:00 pm on Saturday, in Serrinha, for the 21st round of Brasileirão. The road to permanence is still long, but if he manages to repeat the performance of the second half, Huracán has everything to get rid of the ghost of relegation.

• Goiás x Atlético – 11/14, Saturday, 5pm – Serrinha
• Atlético-MG x Athletico – 11/18, Wednesday, 7pm – Mineirão
• Athletic x Santos – 11/21, Saturday, 7pm – Arena da Baixada
• Atlético x River Plate – 11/24, Tuesday, 7.15pm – Arena da Baixada
• Palmeiras x Athletico – 11/28, Saturday, 5pm – Palmeiras Arena
• River Plate x Atlético – 12/01, Tuesday, 7.15pm – Avellaneda
• Fluminense x Atlético – 05/12, Saturday, 7pm – Maracanã
• Atlético x Atlético-MG – 12/12, Saturday, 5pm – Arena da Baixada