Palmeiras shift focus to semi-final: settled squad, room to grow | OneFootball

The Palmeiras maintained the lead in the Brazilian Championship by defeating Fluminense 2-1 this Wednesday (15) at Arena Barueri, in a night highlighted by Vitor Roque and Allan, the goal scorers in the hard-fought victory with a good collective performance from both teams.

The Verdão now shifts focus and returns to the field this Sunday (1), at 8:30 PM (Brasília time), to face São Paulo in a match valid for the semifinals of the Paulistão, carrying with them good impressions built at the start of the season and reinforced in the duel with Fluminense.

More than numbers, the good impression left by the team throughout the games remained. Abel Ferreira quickly found a base in 2026, which underwent specific adjustments from 2025, even after ending the year on a low note, and showed little fluctuation.

Pressure and Efficiency

Palmeiras was decisive in the first minutes. Betting on high pressing, the team forced errors in Fluminense's ball exit and quickly built the advantage. At eight minutes, Vitor Roque suffered a penalty from Fábio and converted the shot. Four minutes later, Allan advanced in an individual play, passed through the defense, and extended the lead.

Despite the strong start from the home team, Fluminense did not stop attacking. The team from Rio had Lucho Acosta as its main playmaker and reduced the deficit still in the first half. The midfielder took advantage of a defensive error by Palmeiras and scored the goal that brought the visitors back into the match.

Verdão fluctuated between the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, but regained control after the changes made by Abel Ferreira. Jhon Arias entered well and participated in counterattacks that almost resulted in new goals – Vitor Roque and Sosa hit the post. Fluminense pressed at the end, shot more times, but was stopped by Carlos Miguel.

Consolidated Base

Palmeiras has shown a defined structure in all sectors. In defense, Gustavo Gómez maintains consistency, while Murilo is still seeking stability. Khellven, who was criticized during part of the season, is coming off a positive streak.

In midfield, Marlon Freitas gained prominence in big games, even though he is not a natural defensive midfielder, and Andreas Pereira continues as one of the team's highlights since the State Championship. In attack, Vitor Roque and Flaco López form the central duo, with Allan and Maurício on the wings.

There is still room for Arias, who had good performances in recent matches, as well as the anticipation for Paulinho's return, who is recovering from an injury.

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