We attended the mineirao for atlético vs. america!
By Chandler Greenport / Rodrigo Oliveira
Everyone knows that Atlético vs. América is one of the most important derbies in Brazilian football. The match, once known as the "Derby of the Crowds", took place at the traditional Mineirão stadium for the 4th round of the Campeonato Mineiro.
Atlético has one of the top squads in Brazil, featuring international names like Gustavo Scarpa, Bernard, Lyanco, Everson, and the superstar Hulk. The key players were competing in the friendly tournament FC Series in Orlando, Florida, until just three days ago. The club's U-20 squad played the first three rounds of the Campeonato Mineiro.
América, on the other hand, has been playing with its main squad since the first round of the Campeonato Mineiro, having won two matches and drawn the other. The team's biggest name in 2024, midfielder Juninho, was transferred to Goiás, leaving the club after eight years. Currently, the standout player for the green team is the Argentine Benítez, the star who wears the number 10 jersey.
We arrived at Mineirão at 7 p.m., the time when the gates were opened for the press. For the fans, entry was allowed starting at 7:30 p.m. Since it was still early, we had no trouble with traffic around the stadium and were already able to enjoy the traditional skewers and "tropeiros" at the vendor stalls outside the stadium.
The Atletico lineup chosen by coach Cuca was: Everson, Natanael, Junior Alonso, Lyanco, Guilherme Arana, Alan Franco, Gabriel Menino, Rubens, Gustavo Scarpa, Júnior Santos and Hulk.
América, on the other hand, lined up under coach Willian Batista with: Jori, Matheus Henrique, Ricardo Silva, Lucão, Marlon, Miqueias, Cauan Barros, Fernando Elizari, Fabinho, Jonathas and FIgueiredo.
The Atletico's supporters were insane. They started to sing football chants since second 1 and didn't stop until the end of the first half.
The first half began with Atlético controlling possession and getting close to Jori’s goal a few times but without taking a shot on target. On the other hand, América’s first real chance came in the 19th minute when Atlético’s goalkeeper clashed with forward Jonathas.
At the 20-minute mark, Matheus Henrique fouled Guilherme Arana in midfield and received a yellow card. In América’s last match, on Sunday against Villa Nova, Matheus Henrique was the most temperamental player on the pitch, arguing with opponents, the referee, and even his own teammates. This temperament could become a problem for América throughout the season.
The next 10 minutes saw Atlético in control, and Gustavo Scarpa came close to scoring with a shot from outside the box. Jori made a fantastic save.
In the 31st minute, América shocked everyone by taking the lead with a long-range shot. Fabinho scored the goal, catching everyone off guard as Atlético had been dominating the game. In response, Atlético’s black-and-white supporters raised their voices, chanting even louder and expressing their belief in a comeback.
At 35 minutes, Junior Santos pulled off an incredible solo run, dribbling past América’s entire defense. However, instead of shooting, he hesitated, allowing América’s defenders to clear the danger.
In the 38th minute, Guilherme Arana went down after a collision with an América player. The referee went to VAR but, upon returning, decided not to award a foul, and the game continued.
During the five minutes of stoppage time, Hulk unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box, barely missing the goal as the ball flew just over the crossbar. Right after, heavy rain hit Mineirão, lasting until the second half, when it turned into a full-on storm.
At halftime, Atlético prepared one of the most spectacular moments ever seen in a football stadium. Hundreds of drones performed a show, forming historic Atlético plays, the faces of club legends, and finally, Galo Doido, the club’s mascot. The video below was posted on our YouTube channel showcasing the incredible display.
At the start of the second half, Atlético kept up the pressure, taking two dangerous shots—one from Junior Santos and another from Gustavo Scarpa—though neither forced a save from Jori.
At the 15-minute mark, Atlético made changes: Junior Santos, Rubens, and Gustavo Scarpa came off for Deiverson, Palacios, and Bernard. América also made a change, substituting Matheus Henrique for Julio. Shortly after, in the 18th minute, Hulk was fouled at the edge of the box, and his powerful free-kick forced an excellent save from Jori.
Following more substitutions, David Lopes—who had just come on—received a yellow card for fouling Bernard. In the 25th minute, Hulk made a brilliant run down the right flank and crossed the ball to Bernard, who found the back of the net. However, the referee disallowed the goal for a handball by the Atlético attacker.
At the 31-minute mark, América nearly scored again when Figueiredo hit Everson’s post. Both coaches then made further substitutions.
In the 33rd minute, América’s David Lopes misplaced a pass, which fell perfectly to Hulk. The Atlético star fired a powerful shot, but Jori made an incredible save in the top corner.
At 38 minutes, Lyanco took a shot that forced another save from Jori, but Bernard reacted quickly to the rebound and equalized for Atlético.
During stoppage time, in the 47th minute, Palacios made a solo run down the right flank, cut inside, and fired a shot that missed Jori’s post by inches.
After that, nothing significant happened, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Off the pitch, an unusual incident took place in the Atlético supporters' section, in the upper red sector, right next to the press area. A young fan set off a firecracker while celebrating Atlético’s equalizer. The surrounding fans were furious about the act, and the troublemaker quickly fled the scene. However, a few minutes later, he returned and was immediately recognized by those nearby. Security promptly removed him and escorted him to the Mineirão Stadium police station.