Three of the four accessions of the A3 Series (third division) of the Brazilian Women’s Football Championship were confirmed this Saturday (23). Sport, Taubaté and 3B da Amazônia prevailed in their respective quarter-final clashes, securing their place in the next phase and in the 2023 Serie A2 (second division). The semi-final duels are scheduled for August 6 and 13.
At Ilha do Retiro, in Recife, Sport drew 2-2 with VF4-PB and benefited from a 2-0 victory in the first leg, a week ago, at Almeidão, in João Pessoa. Josy and Lu Meireles scored for the visitors and also forwards Layza and midfielder Ísis swung the nets for the Lionesses.
The opponent of the red-blacks in the semifinals will be 3B, who beat Ypiranga-AP 1-0 at the Arena da Amazônia, in Manaus, with a great volley from striker Paulinha, at the end of the match. The score was the same as the Amazon triumph in the first leg, at Zerão, in Macapá, last Saturday (16).
At Joaquinzão, in Taubaté (SP), the home team received Ipatinga and held the tie at 1-1. The Minas Gerais team took the lead with forward Letícia Nunes, but midfielder Lene equalized for the hosts, who had already won first game in Ipatingão, last week, by 3 to 0.
The Paulistas await the winner of the confrontation between Toledo-PR and Vila Nova-GO, which will face each other this Sunday (24), at 15:30 (Brasília time), at the 14 de Dezembro stadium, in Toledo (PR). The women from Goiás won the first leg, last Saturday, 2-0, at the Onésio Brasileiro Alvarenga stadium, in Goiânia. Whoever advances, also secures the fourth and final spot of this A3 Series to next year’s second division.
The creation of the A3 Series was one of the novelties of the Brazilian women’s football calendar in 2022. The competition brought together the 27 teams with the best campaign in their respective state championships and that were not in higher divisions, the four best-positioned teams in the national ranking of clubs. (which will be replaced, next year, by the four relegated from Serie A2) and a representative of the federation best placed in the women’s ranking, totaling 32 participants.
The teams were distributed in knockout clashes, with home and away games. Before eliminating VF4, Sport left behind rivals Náutico (1-1 and 3-0) and Doce Mel-BA (1-0 in both). Taubaté went through Realidade Jovem-SP (2-0 and 2-1) and Vila Nova-ES (2-1 and 2-2), in addition to Ipatinga. 3B arrived for the duel with Ypiranga after beating Rio Branco-AC (4-0 and 6-1) and Barcelona-RO (1-0 and 2-1).
