Carlos Miguel lauds penalty save, Palmeiras lead in final | OneFootball

Palmeiras defeated Novorizontino 1-0 on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Paulista Championship final, with a goal by Flaco López. Carlos Miguel was a standout for the green side by saving a penalty and securing Verdão's advantage in the match that took place at Arena Crefisa Barueri.

“I am very happy, I appreciate everyone's support since I arrived. I was warmly welcomed by them. I was already in the game. It's a great save, but there was still a lot of game time left. I returned, focused, talked to my teammates, and got back to the game as usual,” he said to Cazé TV.

“Congratulations to our team for the great game we played today. I was able to help as much as possible at the back, but nothing would be possible without them. It's an advantage, we have a good advantage. It's very important. We will rest and work for the second game and, God willing, come out as champions,” he continued.

Carlos Miguel saved the penalty in the first half, when Palmeiras already had the 1-0 advantage.

“Our players are the best qualified to be here, to play, and for this. You have to take risks, football shouldn't be robotic. We will continue to take risks, sometimes it won't work, but soon we will score and win like this,” he concluded.

Match Situation

With this result, Verdão plays for a draw in the return match, which takes place on Sunday, starting at 8:30 PM (Brasília time), at Estádio Jorge Ismael de Biasi, in Novo Horizonte (SP).

Any draw or new victory for Palmeiras secures the title for Abel Ferreira's team. Meanwhile, if Novorizontino wins by one goal difference, the decision goes to penalties. To claim the trophy, Tigre do Vale needs at least a 2-0 win.

Details of the Return Match

Match: Novorizontino vs. Palmeiras Competition: Paulista Championship (Final, return match) Date and Time: March 8, 2026 (Sunday), at 8:30 PM (Brasília time) Location: Estádio Dr. Jorge Ismael de Biasi, in Novo Horizonte (SP)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.