Corinthians lose Women’s Brasileirão final for third time ever, look back | OneFootball

Last Saturday (26), Corinthians suffered only the third defeat in its history in a Brazilian Women’s Championship final match. The 2-1 loss to São Paulo at Neo Química Arena, in the first leg of the 2026 final, ended a streak of more than nine years without the Brabas being beaten in a match worth the national title. The other two defeats came against Santos, precisely in the two legs of the 2017 final.

The mark helps measure the path Corinthians has built in the competition. Since the club reactivated its women’s football department in 2016, the team has reached the Brasileirão final nine times, including the current season, and has won seven titles. In addition to finishing runner-up in 2017, the Brabas also ended in second place in 2019, but went unbeaten in that edition’s final matches.

Photo: Marcelo Pereira /ALLSPORTS

Against São Paulo, Corinthians even took the lead in the ninth minute of the first half. Gi Fernandes started the counterattack and found Vic Albuquerque on the right wing. Wearing number 17, she crossed for Gabi Zanotti, who appeared unmarked in the box and headed home to put the Brabas in front. The rival, however, reacted and came from behind to win 2-1.

Besides putting Timão at a disadvantage in the title race, the result entered a short list of Corinthians defeats in championship matches in the country’s main national tournament.

The only previous defeats had been against Santos

Before the 2026 Majestoso, it was necessary to go all the way back to July 2017 to find a Corinthians defeat in a Women’s Brasileirão final.

In the 2017 edition, Corinthians advanced to the knockout stage after finishing the first phase atop Group 1 with 37 points from 14 matches. In the quarterfinals, they faced Ferroviária and won both matches: 2-1 in the first leg and 4-0 in the second, closing the tie with a 6-1 aggregate score. In the semifinal, the opponent was Rio Preto. After losing the first match 2-1, Timão responded in the return leg, won 1-0, and advanced to the final by the competition’s tiebreak criterion after a 2-2 aggregate draw. In the final, they met Santos, the leader of Group 2 in the first phase, and ended up losing both matches.

That season, the opponent in the final was Santos. The first match took place on July 15 at Vila Belmiro. Playing away from home, Corinthians lost 2-0. Sole and Patrícia scored Santos’ goals and left the black-and-white side in a difficult situation for the second meeting.

Timão’s starting lineup in that match featured: Lelê, Pardal, Mimi, Jucinara, Paulinha, Grazi, Nenê, Cacau, Ana Vitória, Byanca Brasil and Gabi Nunes. Arthur Elias was the team’s head coach. 

Five days later, on July 20, the clubs met again, this time at Arena Barueri. Corinthians needed to overturn the deficit, but once again came away defeated. Sole scored the only goal of the match and sealed Santos’ 1-0 victory, a result that confirmed the Brabas as runners-up.

In the second clash, Arthur Elias started Lelê, Pardal, Mimi, Jucinara, Fabiana Simões, Grazi, Nenê, Amanda, Ana Vitória, Byanca Brasil and Gabi Nunes. Paulinha, Alanna and Yasmim were among the options on the bench.

In this way, Corinthians’ first two defeats in Women’s Brasileirão final matches came in the same final. The result against São Paulo, nine years later, became the third.

Corinthians did not lose even in the 2019 runner-up finish

The record stands out even more because Corinthians again finished the Brazilian Championship as runners-up in 2019, but without losing either of the two final matches.

After winning their first national title in 2018, the Brabas reached the final again the following year. The title slipped away, but the decisive matches did not add to Corinthians’ list of defeats in finals.

From 2020 onward, the club began a title streak that remains alive in 2026. Corinthians were Brazilian champions in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, totaling six consecutive titles.

Added to the 2018 trophy, the record gives the club seven Women’s Brasileirão titles: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Now, against São Paulo, Timão is chasing an eighth national crown and a seventh in a row.

Defeat also ended unbeaten run at Neo Química Arena

The result in the first Majestoso of the final also brought down another impressive Brabas mark. Until facing São Paulo, Corinthians had never lost a women’s football match at Neo Química Arena.

Before the derby, there had been 32 matches played at the stadium, with 29 wins and three draws. Thus, the 2-1 loss represented the first defeat for Corinthians’ women’s team in Itaquera.

Emily Lima had problems putting together the defensive system for the final. Thaís Regina served a suspension after being sent off in the semifinal against Bahia, while Erika was out with knee pain. Ana Vitória, in the process of returning after an abdominal injury, also missed the match.

With those absences, Corinthians started the Majestoso with Nicole Ramos; Thaís Ferreira, Duda Mineira and Juliete; Gi Fernandes, Duda Sampaio, Vic Albuquerque, Belén Aquino and Tamires; Gabi Zanotti and Jaqueline.

The 2026 final is the Brabas’ 31st final since 2016

The current clash against São Paulo also increases another important number in the department’s recent history. The 2026 Brazilian Championship final is the 31st final Corinthians have played since the women’s football department was reactivated in 2016.

In the previous 30 finals, the club lifted 22 trophies. There have been seven Brazilian Championships, six Libertadores titles, four Paulista Championships, three Supercopas, one Copa Paulista and one Copa do Brasil.

The constant presence in finals also stands out. Since 2016, Corinthians have missed the final in only eight competitions: the 2016 Brasileirão; the 2016, 2017 and 2022 Paulistas; the 2020 and 2022 Libertadores; and the 2025 and 2026 Copa do Brasil. In the other tournaments, they reached the title decider.

In 2026, before the current final, the Brabas had already played in the Copa das Campeãs and Supercopa finals, finishing runners-up in both. Besides the Brasileirão, the team still has the Libertadores ahead, between October 15 and 31 in Quito, Ecuador, as well as the Campeonato Paulista knockout stage.

Brabas need to overturn the deficit at MorumBIS

Despite the third historic defeat in final matches, the 2026 Brazilian title race remains open. Corinthians and São Paulo will meet again next Saturday, October 3, at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at MorumBIS.

Because they lost the first leg 2-1, Corinthians need to win by two or more goals to claim the title in regulation time. If they manage a victory by exactly one goal, the decision will go to a penalty shootout. A draw or another defeat will hand the title to São Paulo.

Besides trying to avoid their first Brazilian runner-up finish since 2019, Corinthians are looking to extend the longest title streak in the tournament’s history. A comeback at MorumBIS would give the Brabas their eighth Women’s Brasileirão title and their seventh in a row.

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