Football
Associated Press 9y

Atletico Mineiro defeat local rivals Cruzeiro to win first Brazilian Cup

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -- Atletico Mineiro defeated league champions and local rivals Cruzeiro 1-0 to win their first Brazilian Cup title 3-0 on aggregate.

Brazil striker Diego Tardelli netted the winner with a header in first-half injury time at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte to claim victory in the first major final contested between the two neighbouring clubs. 

After conceding the goal at home, Cruzeiro needed to score four times to overturn the 2-0 first-leg deficit and maintain their hopes of claiming the double, having clinched their second consecutive Brazilian league title on Sunday.

The final being a local derby was felt so strongly in the state of Minas Gerais that regional newspaper Estado de Minas had deemed all other news irrelevant on its front page on the day of the match.

Had they managed to win, Cruzeiro would have lifted the Brazilian Cup for a record fifth time, but they remain level with Gremio with four.

The trophy represents a second straight year of success for Atletico Mineiro, following their first triumph in the Copa Libertadores last season.

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