Bahia beats Vitória and extends undefeated streak in Brasileirão

Erick Pulga and Michel Araujo score goals for Tricolor. Jean Lucas and Pepê are sent off

It’s Tricolor again!

Not even a red card four minutes into the game could stop Bahia from extending its unbeaten streak over its biggest rival. At Arena Fonte Nova, Tricolor lost Jean Lucas, who was sent off for assault four minutes into the game, but counted on a goal by Erick Pulga to open the scoring. Vitória managed to tie the game with Renato Kayzer and, when they were pushing for a comeback, Michel Araujo came on in the second half, made it 2-1 and decided the match. The red-and-black team also lost Pepê, who was sent off three minutes after entering the field.

First half

Vitória had an extra player right from the start, but Bahia was the one who called the shots. Tricolor had Jean Lucas sent off for assault in the fourth minute and still played in the attacking half. In the 22nd minute, Caio Alexandre found Erick Pulga behind Claudinho to score a beautiful header. Only from then on did Rubro-Negro spend more time in possession of the ball. Thiago Carpini even tried to loosen up the team by bringing in another forward, but the team continued to be unable to put pressure on a rival that knew how to cool down the derby. Osvaldo, with two shots from outside the area, was responsible for most of the visitors’ shots. It was only in injury time that Kayzer, Leão’s main hope, received the ball in a position to pose a threat, but the center forward missed.

Second half

The game changed in the second half, with Vitória taking over. Just three minutes in, Erick lost the ball to the goalkeeper after getting the rebound from Kayzer’s shot. Two minutes later, Lucas Halter hit the post, and Mosquito was stopped by Marcos Felipe. The pressure paid off in the eighth minute, when Osvaldo crossed into the box, and Renato Kayzer got there first to level the score. The Rubro-Negro continued to press the goal and almost turned the score around with shots from outside the box by Erick and Jamerson. But those who imagined the visiting team would score another goal saw Tricolor react. In the 20th minute, Erick Pulga threw the ball into the box and, after a series of mistakes by the Rubro-Negro defense, Michel Araujo pushed it into the back of the net. To make matters worse, the visitors lost Pepê to the red-and-black team, who was sent off three minutes after the midfielder entered the field. This made it easier for the Esquadrão to hold on in the derby and have a clear chance to extend their lead with Luciano Juba on the counterattack. In the end, Marcos Felipe made another great save from Janderson’s header and secured the victory.