If I've learned anything from watching soccer, it's that the past is not always a perfect predictor of the future, but boy does it provide some chuckles along the way. Cruzeiro and Corinthians are prepping to butt heads once again, with the past showing us an evenly split record. Their last two matchups could only be described as fiercely boring, ending in 1-1 and 2-1 score lines. But hey, excitement is overrated.
Now let's talk about the men between the sticks. All things considered, the Corinthians goalkeepers Carlos Miguel and Matheus Donelli have held their own despite being peppered with more shots than a college freshman on spring break. But, when it comes to Cruzeiro, Anderson has been quite solid in net, reminding us that there's a reason why they say a good defense is the best offense... I just can’t seem to remember how it applies here.
Speaking of sharp objects in a meadow, we're looking at the field players now. For Corinthians, the likes of Yuri Alberto and Breno Bidon have been noteworthy. And by noteworthy, I mean they've kicked the ball in the right direction more often than not. A shoutout to Igor Coronado and Matheus Bidú too, for at least managing to find the net once. On Cruzeiro's side of the coin, Matheus Pereira and William have been as impactful as finding a twenty in an old pair of jeans, each claiming two goals. Still, with nobody else scoring anything beyond a zero, it's probably safe to say that the 'Most Valuable Player' title isn't hotly contested here.
The regular season record might as well be a broken record for Corinthians, with an uninspiring 1-6-6. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, might actually remember what winning feels like with a 6-2-5 record. Recent results aren't encouraging for either team, but then again, why spoil a perfectly dismal series of performances by suddenly becoming good!
So, who gets to claim this potential snooze-fest? We can probably guess by looking at the top of this piece, but let's build the suspense anyway. Drumroll please...
Albert’s Prediction: Cruzeiro by 1