Andressa Alves praises Corinthians' unity, Jhonson: “Our best player” | OneFootball

Corinthians are once again through to the final of the Brazilian Women’s Championship. After a 1-0 win over Bahia on the night of last Monday (21) at Neo Química Arena, Andressa Alves highlighted the Brabas’ ability to step up in knockout matches, spoke about the fans’ presence, and also praised Jhonson’s current form.

The game’s only goal was scored by the young forward herself, still in the first half. As Corinthians had already won the first leg 1-0 at Arena Fonte Nova, Emily Lima’s side closed out the semifinal with a 2-0 aggregate score and secured a place in yet another final of the national tournament.

Photo: Agência Paulistão

After qualifying, Andressa emphasized the squad’s experience in decisive matches and said the group tries to keep off-field issues from affecting its performances on the pitch. The forward also thanked the fans who showed up at Neo Química Arena on a Monday night and asked for better dates and kickoff times for upcoming matches.

“When the knockout stage comes, we really raise our level; we have a lot of experience. The problems that happen off the field, we try to leave off the field. We think about representing the Corinthians shirt and, once again, here, on a Monday, at 9:30 at night, the fans always show up. I hope that next time they can schedule games at better times, on better days, because you can be sure that on Saturday it’ll be a cauldron. So that matters too.”

Andressa details the reaction after the red card and praises Jhonson

Corinthians had to manage part of the match with a numerical disadvantage after Thaís Regina was sent off. According to Andressa Alves, the situation required the team to reorganize and made it even more important for one player to cover for another during the game.

The No. 9 said she spoke with Emily Lima to understand how she could contribute after the dismissal. Andressa also revealed advice she gave Jhonson during the match. The experienced forward told the youngster to stay calm in front of goal, on a night when she once again proved decisive.

“We’re a team that fights very hard, right? So when Thaís Regina’s sending-off happened, we had to reorganize and realize that one player had to run for the other. I spoke with Emily there to see what she was thinking, how to adjust, how to help. I also spoke with Jhonson, because she was creating a lot of chances, telling her to stay calm and composed. She didn’t need to hit it so hard, just place it, and it worked out. Once again, she’s having a spectacular group stage. Since the Copa break, for me, she’s been our best player. She’s growing a lot. She’s young, so sometimes she’ll be inconsistent, but we trust her a lot and, today, once again, she gave us so much.”

Jhonson reached 11 goals in the 2026 season and now shares second place in Corinthians’ scoring charts this year with Gabi Zanotti. Jaqueline remains at the top with 13 goals.

Corinthians will face a Majestoso in the final

After eliminating Cruzeiro in the quarterfinals and Bahia in the semifinals, Corinthians will face São Paulo in the battle for the Brazilian title. The final is a repeat of the 2024 decider, when the Brabas got the better of their rivals and lifted the trophy.

The biggest champion in the Brasileirão Feminino, Corinthians have won seven titles, in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. Having posted the best campaign, São Paulo will host the second leg of the final. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) still has to confirm the details of the two decisive Majestoso matches, including dates and kickoff times.

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