Corinthians and São Paulo will decide next Sunday (20), starting at 10 am (Brasília time), who will win the title of the Série A1 of the Brazilian Women’s Football Championship. And the TV Brazil broadcasts the competition’s decision live from Itaquera.
The Brabas do Timão arrive at the final game with a considerable advantage, after triumphing in the first leg by 3 to 1, last Sunday (15) at the Morumbis stadium. With this result, the team from Parque São Jorge can even lose by one goal and still take the trophy. The Soberanas are looking for at least a victory by two goals to take to the penalty shootout. To guarantee the trophy at the end of the 90 minutes, São Paulo has to win by a difference of at least three goals.
In a press conference held last Friday (20) to promote the match, São Paulo coach Thiago Viana admitted the great challenge that awaits his team in this decision, and stated that he is preparing a special strategy to come away with the title: “It is a great challenge. I think that, for us, it is the greatest challenge of the season. Without a doubt. We think a lot about each game. So the strategy is defined according to the opponent, according to the result, according to what we need to achieve in the second game. Without a doubt, it is a mix of balance and consistency that brought us to the final”.
Corinthians coach Lucas Piccinato tried to dispel any air of favoritism despite the advantage built in the first leg. According to the Brabas coach, it is necessary to keep in mind that this is a classic, in which the unexpected can appear: “It will be an extremely complicated game, with details, like every classic. And we hope that we have a bright morning so that we can come away with the title”.
However, Corinthians will have extra support next Sunday, from the loyal fans who support the Brabas in all matches held in Itaquera: “Without a doubt, the fans are always an extra incentive. We know how much they support women’s football. When such a big moment like this arrives, such an important moment, with two very strong teams, we know that the fact that the stadium is full gives us a lot of strength. That’s the job, especially for Corinthians, to always try to have a full stadium”, declared Duda Sampaio.
Big challenge
To become champions, São Paulo will need to do something that no other team has managed in history: defeat the Brabas in Itaquera. To date, the team is undefeated when playing their most important games at the stadium: 23 wins and one draw in 24 games. However, in the last duel at the Neo Química Arena, the Soberanas almost achieved the feat: they were winning 2-1 until injury time, when they were turned around to make it 3-2. Now, the team from Morumbis needs to not only win, but also achieve a difference of at least two goals on the scoreboard to go after the title in their first final in the Série A1 of the Brazilian women’s championship.
Corinthians, meanwhile, is trying to reaffirm its dominance in women’s football in Brazil. This is the eighth consecutive final for Corinthians, who have won the last four championships and five of the previous seven.
