Palmeiras lead title race, but first leg leaves sense of more to give | OneFootball

The Palmeiras took the lead against Novorizontino in the fight for the Campeonato Paulista title. On the night of last Wednesday, Flaco López scored the only goal of the match that took place at Arena Crefisa Barueri, giving Verdão the advantage of a draw in the return match.

The 1-0 score was fair given the performance of both teams. However, as the host, Abel Ferreira's team left with the feeling that they could have taken a greater advantage to the interior. From the start, Novorizontino did not make life easy for Palmeiras and kept their defensive system well organized. As a result, Verdão encountered some difficulties infiltrating the attacking field.

To break through the Tigre do Vale's defense, Verdão had to play more on the flanks and insist on some long passes. That's how the goal was born. Marlon Freitas launched into the area, Ramón Sosa controlled it in the middle of the defense and set it up for Flaco López, who struck without much force and sent it towards Jordi's goal, almost in slow motion.

The game remained open the entire time, and in stoppage time, Novorizontino had a chance to equalize. Andreas Pereira failed twice in a row in ball clearance and gifted it to Tigre do Vale, who squandered both opportunities. In the first, Matheus Bianqui missed, and in the other, Robson saw Carlos Miguel save his penalty kick.

Allan hit the post, and Murilo, with a header, almost extended the lead, still in the first 45 minutes. In the second half, Palmeiras scored a second goal at six minutes, but Gustavo Gómez was caught offside. Gradually, Verdão lost some momentum and could no longer effectively trouble Novorizontino, failing in the final pass.

The situation improved after some team changes. Verdão had a chance to extend the lead with a shot from Khellven inside the area, which was stopped by Jordi.

Even though it's minimal, the advantage is important for Palmeiras, who will now decide away from home and will have to deal with an opponent that hasn't made life easy for other rivals like Santos and Corinthians, playing the knockout stage at Estádio Jorge Ismael de Biasi. On the other hand, Verdão relies on its good away record to try to win its 27th State Championship title.

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, the decision goes to penalties. To claim the trophy, Tigre do Vale needs at least a 2-0 win.

Return Match Details

Match: Novorizontino vs. Palmeiras Competition: Campeonato Paulista (Final, return match) Date and Time: March 8, 2026 (Sunday), at 8:30 PM (Brasília time) Venue: 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.