The 2026 season has started for the women’s football team. This Friday (27), the Brazilians defeated Costa Rica 5-2 at the Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium, in Alajuela, the home of their opponents, in the first match of the year. The Canarian team opened 3-0, almost conceded a draw, but secured a positive result.
First challenge of the year successfully completed! 🇧🇷💛
Kerolin, Jheniffer (2), Tainá Maranhão and Adriana scored the goals and guaranteed Amarelinha’s victory tonight!#Women’s National Team pic.twitter.com/YmSsnsyFML
— Women’s Football Team (@SelecaoFeminina) February 28, 2026
Brazil returns to the field next Wednesday (4), at 6pm (Brasília time), at the Mexican Football Federation Training Center, in the city of Toluca, to face Venezuela. Three days later, the Canarian team will face Mexico itself, at 8pm, at the Ciudad de los Deportes Stadium, in the capital of the opposing country.
Coach Arthur Elias sent a very offensive formation onto the field, with just one midfielder – midfielder Duda Sampaio – and five attacking players: Kerolin, Bia Zaneratto, Taina Maranhão, Jaqueline and Jheniffer. Veteran Tamires, who had not been called up since winning Olympic silver in 2024, started on the left flank, with Fe Palermo on the right, Mariza and Thaís Ferreira in defense and newcomer Thaís Lima, 17 years old, in goal. The young woman was born in Portugal, but is the daughter of a Brazilian father and an Angolan mother and chose to defend the Canarian national team.
Of the athletes who played this Friday, seven are playing in the Brazilian Women’s Championship, broadcast live on TV Brasil. Corinthians, current six-time champion, was the most represented club, with four players (Duda Sampaio, Jaqueline, Tamires and Thaís Ferreira). The other three (Bia Zaneratto, Taina Maranhão and Fe Palermo) play for Palmeiras.
She.
📸 Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF#Women’s National Team pic.twitter.com/67B1qJhlte
— Women’s Football Team (@SelecaoFeminina) February 28, 2026
The great technical difference between the two teams became clear from the first minutes, with Brazilian dominance. At ten minutes, Duda Sampaio gave a beautiful pass to Kerolin, behind Costa Rica’s marking. The Manchester City (England) striker hit the cover, past goalkeeper Daniela Solera, to open the scoring. Three minutes later, Taina Maranhão received the ball on the left, entered the area and rolled the ball for Jheniffer to finish first and increase the advantage.
Brazil scored the third goal in the 27th minute, with Taina Maranhão. The Palmeiras player was once again launched from the left, faced the marking and, this time, shot low, into Solera’s right corner, scoring her first for the main team. The attacker even found the back of the net again in the 34th minute, following a shot from Bia Zaneratto, but the shot was disallowed for offside.
The first time is always special. May it be the first of many, Tainá! 💛🇧🇷
📸 Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF#Women’s National Team pic.twitter.com/C3B6lecM0J
— Women’s Football Team (@SelecaoFeminina) February 28, 2026
Carelessness, fright and relief
The ease with which the Brazilians controlled the match gave way to carelessness in completing plays and blunders in the defensive system. Costa Rica, taking advantage of Brazil’s inattention, scored a discount six minutes into the second half, through Priscila Chinchilla. The striker, who plays for Atlético de Madrid (Spain), was launched and anticipated Thaís Lima with a touch over the goalkeeper, before finishing into the empty net.
The goal encouraged the hosts, who counted on another defensive error to further reduce the deficit. In the 21st minute, Chinchilla put pressure on Brazil’s ball in the small area, disarmed Thaís Lima after the goalkeeper received it from Mariza and scored the hosts’ second, to the despair of Arthur Elias and the celebration of Lindsay Camila, the Brazilian coach who has been in charge of Costa Rica since October last year.
The second goal of 2026 came from Jheniffer’s feet 🔥
📸 Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF#Women’s National Team pic.twitter.com/Ubj5ZCzLaI
— Women’s Football Team (@SelecaoFeminina) February 28, 2026
To the relief of the Canarian team, at 33, Taina Maranhão, the main Brazilian name in the match, faced the marking and suffered a penalty from defender Emily Flores. Striker Adriana, who entered the final stage in place of Bia Zaneratto, took a powerful shot into Solera’s right corner. There was still time, in stoppage time, for Jheniffer to receive the ball from Adriana in the area and score her second of the match and Brazil’s fifth, closing the score in Alajuela.
