At 37', VAR cancelled a Fortaleza goal. Athletic then struck first at 42', when Kauan Lindes finished Douglas Pele's assist to make it 0-1. A second VAR review awarded Fortaleza a penalty at 45+7', and Mailton converted one minute later. The sides went into half-time level at 1-1.
Lucas Sasha put Fortaleza in front at 50', making it 2-1. Athletic made three changes at 58', including Enzo Henrique dos Santos for Marcelo Henrique Laborao dos Santos; Wilinton Aponza and Pedro Oliveira also came on for Dixon Vera and Jota. The change paid off quickly: Enzo Henrique dos Santos equalized at 60' from Douglas Pele's second assist of the night, restoring 2-2.
Fortaleza finished with 67% possession and 15 shots, seven on target, compared with Athletic's six shots and three on target. But the hosts could not regain their lead after Enzo's finish. His immediate impact off the bench proved decisive: Athletic answered Fortaleza's second-half goal before the home side could turn its advantage into a win.
| Metric | Fortaleza EC CE | Athletic Club Sjdr MG |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 67% | 33% |
| Shots | 15 | 6 |
| Shots on target | 7 | 3 |
| Shots off target | 5 | 3 |
| Corners | 5 | 1 |
| Fouls | 15 | 15 |
| Yellow cards | 0 | 0 |
| Red cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 2 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper saves | 1 | 5 |