In the 14th round of the Brasileirao, Grêmio emerged victorious against Fortaleza with a final score of 2-1, largely due to a remarkable double by Martin Braithwaite. The scoring opened early in the match when Braithwaite converted a penalty in the 11th minute. Just five minutes later, he doubled the lead, again from the penalty spot, showcasing his precision and confidence.
Fortaleza fought back and managed to find the back of the net through Deyverson in the 23rd minute, but it proved to be insufficient to change the outcome of the match. José María Herrera had a chance to equalize shortly after, hitting the post, but the equalizer eluded them.
Martin Braithwaite was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, not only for his two goals but also for his overall attacking presence, taking four shots on target throughout the game. Meanwhile, Grêmio’s goalkeeper, Tiago Volpi, played a critical role, making three vital saves to secure the win.
Coach Luiz Venker Menezes opted for a 4-3-3 formation with Tiago Volpi in goal; Gustavo Martins, Walter Kannemann, Wagner Leonardo, and Marlon making up the defense; Dodi, Mathías Villasanti, and Riquelme Freitas in midfield; and an attacking trio of Alysson Edward, Martin Braithwaite, and Cristian Olivera.
On the other side, Fortaleza’s Renato Paiva lined up in a 4-2-4 system, with Magrão between the posts; Eros Mancuso, Benjamín Kuscevic, Gastón Ávila, and Bruno Pacheco in defense; Lucas Sasha and Lucca Prior managing the midfield; and Matheus Pereira, Breno Lopes, José María Herrera, and Deyverson up front.
Looking ahead, Grêmio will travel to face Fluminense, while Fortaleza will head to São Paulo to take on Corinthians.
This victory lifts Grêmio to 20 points, placing them 14th in the standings, while Fortaleza remains at 14 points, sitting in 18th place.
Substitutions for Grêmio
52’ 2T – Gustavo Martins for Camilo Reijers
65’ 2T – Riquelme Freitas for Cristian Pavón
83’ 2T – Alysson Edward for Edenílson
Yellow Cards for Grêmio
50’ 1T Alysson Edward (Unsporting behavior)
41’ 2T Cristian Olivera (Unsporting behavior)
42’ 2T Marlon (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Fortaleza
63’ 2T – Bruno Pacheco for Diogo Barbosa and José María Herrera for Juan Martín Lucero
76’ 2T – Lucca Prior for Yago Pikachu
84’ 2T – Deyverson for Emmanuel Martínez and Eros Mancuso for Adam Bareiro
Yellow Cards for Fortaleza
9’ 1T Magrão (Unsporting behavior)
17’ 1T Bruno Pacheco (Unsporting behavior)
48’ 1T Breno Lopes (Insulting or disapproving the referee)
9’ 2T Deyverson (Unsporting behavior)
21’ 2T Lucca Prior (Unsporting behavior)
28’ 2T Marinho (Insulting or disapproving the referee)