Bahia finds redemption in U20 Copa do Nordeste in Feira de Santana | OneFootball

Bahia won the 2026 Under-20 Copa do Nordeste title this Saturday (26). In Feira de Santana, Bahia came from behind after the first leg against Fortaleza and lifted the trophy.

Roger, the No. 10 for the Pivetes de Aço and scorer of the title-winning goal, celebrated the decisive moment in the tricolor shirt.

“I’m very happy and emotional to have scored this goal and to be able to celebrate a title wearing the Bahia shirt. I wasn’t in last year’s final, but I know it left a bitter feeling. I want to win many titles with this team,” he said.

The title-winning goal came from Roger’s feet (right), with a superbly taken free kickCredits: Jhony Pinho / Staff Images / CBF

The midfielder explained how he planned the free kick that ended up deciding the title.

“On that free kick, I was watching closely. I always try to aim for the goalkeeper’s side, and since their goalkeeper is tall, I had thought about hitting it low. At the moment I took it, I got lucky because a player stood in front of him and got in the way. I was able to score a great goal,” he explained.

Championship-winning coach Leonardo Galbes highlighted the lessons learned from the 2025 runner-up finish and the work done since then.

“We’ve spent a year with that moment stuck in our throats, and we haven’t forgotten it for a single day. But in a constructive way, to understand what we did wrong and how we could improve. Everything takes time, work, quality, and patience,” he said.

CBF Competitions Manager Caio Araujo and FBF Competitions Manager Mendes JúniorCredits: Jhony Pinho / Staff Images / CBF

CBF Competitions Manager Caio Araujo emphasized the importance of the tournament for the development of young players and praised the decision to stage the final in Feira de Santana.

“Another Under-20 Copa do Nordeste has been successfully delivered, with high-quality matches. It’s a competition that will certainly bear fruit, allowing players to get minutes and take part in big games. It was very nice to be in Feira de Santana, a city that really loves football. The fans showed up, cheered, and put on a great celebration,” he said.

For Mendes Júnior, competitions manager of the Bahia Football Federation, the title win was cause for celebration, and he also highlighted the fact that the final was held outside the capital.

“Bahia deserve congratulations for the great match they played. They were at a disadvantage after the first game, but managed to turn it around and win a major title. Holding the final in Feira de Santana also shows that cities in the interior are capable of hosting major matches and important finals,” he said.

Biriba do Vale presents an award to Bahia forward DellCredits: Jhony Pinho / Staff Images / CBF

Biriba do Vale, marketing director of the Ceará Football Federation, highlighted the presence of clubs from Ceará in the last two Under-20 Copa do Nordeste finals.

“We had Ceará as champions last year, and Fortaleza reached the final this year. That shows our clubs are doing an excellent job at youth level and that we can continue to rise in national and Northeastern football,” he concluded.

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