Tamires urges tweaks at Corinthians, backs Duda Mineira, blasts rest gap | OneFootball

Corinthians fell behind in the 2026 Brazilian Women’s Championship final after losing 2-1 to São Paulo on Saturday afternoon (26) at Neo Química Arena. After the first Majestoso of the final, Tamires analyzed the Brabas’ performance, acknowledged the need for changes ahead of the return leg, defended Duda Mineira, and questioned the difference in rest time between the teams before the match. Gabi Zanotti scored Corinthians’ goal in Itaquera.

In the mixed zone at Neo Química Arena, the full-back also commented on the Corinthians women’s team’s first defeat at the stadium, spoke about the fans’ support, and stressed that the title race remains open. Corinthians and São Paulo will meet again next Saturday, October 3, at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at MorumBIS.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

Tamires acknowledges need for adjustments in the second leg

Analyzing the first match, Tamires said Corinthians allowed São Paulo to keep possession longer than they should have, especially in the first half. For the number 37, the team improved after the break, but will need to use the week to correct the problems shown.

“We have to keep working on what we’ve been doing. I think there are, yes, some points to improve, some things where we fell short today. We need to try to press São Paulo more. I think they had the ball for too long, especially in the first half. I think in the second half we managed to control that better. But now it’s time to rest, keep our heads straight, try to make sure we get every point right, get back on track during the week so we can get the result there. And it hurts a lot to lose here at the Arena, because it had never happened before, and today it did, but anyway. Every time we set out to play here at the Arena, and the more we play here, at some point that was going to happen, and we have to keep our heads in place and keep believing until the end.”

The result ended the Brabas’ unbeaten run at Neo Química Arena. Despite the negative milestone, Tamires stressed that the squad needs to focus on the 90 minutes still left in the final.

The experienced player also commented on Emily Lima’s assessment, after the coach had pointed to a different Corinthians display during the match. Tamires explained that the group had not yet had a detailed conversation with the manager about it, but admitted that what they showed in Itaquera was not enough.

“We still haven’t had the chance to talk and go into detail with Emily about what today was like. I believe she’ll bring that feeling, that impression she had, to us over the course of the week. What I do know is that we are going to have to do something different, because what we did today wasn’t enough. Nobody is happy with what happened. So we need to come together as a squad, as a group, as a department, and with the fans. Today is certainly a sad day for the supporters, but I hope they can keep backing us and stay with us until the end, both on and off the pitch.”

Brabas leader comes to Duda Mineira’s defense

Tamires also spoke about Duda Mineira after the match. The defender was involved in one of the key plays of the Majestoso and, according to the full-back, the two had not yet had an individual conversation after the final whistle.

The number 37 highlighted the youngster’s potential and said one mistake cannot define her path. She then pointed to the squad’s strength as one of the reasons she believes they can overturn the deficit at MorumBIS.

“Yes, I haven’t spoken to her now. After it ended, we couldn’t. We all came together, but we didn’t manage to talk after the match. I think right now everyone is quietly feeling this defeat and, like I said, we have to keep going, lift our heads, keep going, because nothing has been decided yet. And it happens. I think Duda, more than anyone, knows how huge her potential is. Making a mistake is sad, it hurts, but she has to lift her head, keep going, because there’s still the second leg and she still has a lot to learn, a lot to grow. That cannot define the athlete she is.

And why does the work make me believe? Because we have a very good squad, a very combative squad, a squad with individual pieces and, collectively, one that can overcome any adversity. It’s no coincidence that we’ve reached where we have. The history Corinthians built came through many difficulties, and this is one more of them. We’ll only really say it’s over when the referee blows the whistle there, if we can’t do it. But we’re going to do everything we can to overturn this at Morumbi.”

Tamires highlights rising competitiveness in the Brasileirão

The second leg of the final will also put Corinthians in a different situation from recent seasons. This time, the Brabas will decide the Brasileirão away from home.

For Tamires, that scenario is linked to the tournament’s growing competitiveness. The full-back highlighted the campaigns both teams put together on the way to the final and avoided treating the defeat in Itaquera as an early definition of the title.

“What is different for me is the level of competitiveness in the Brazilian Championship. Like I said, two teams reached the final on merit, two teams that did a lot, worked a lot throughout the whole tournament and deserve to be here. And now it comes down to the details of deciding the championship and another 90 minutes for us to see how it will end up.”

Fans’ support also becomes topic after the Majestoso

Tamires was also asked about the fans in attendance at Neo Química Arena. The player said she would have liked to see a new attendance record, but preferred to value those who came to the stadium rather than look for an explanation for the absences.

“Unfortunately, we wanted to break the record today. And seeing the intensity of the games and what the championship has been showing, we did deserve to break that record, but it didn’t happen. And what impacts that is hard to say. We don’t really know, because we’ve been working, we’ve been doing our part. Even though Corinthians had ups and downs in the tournament, we reached yet another final.

So I think we shouldn’t think about who wasn’t here, but rather value the people who were, who came, who left their homes to support us. So many children were here today as well. We have to thank them for cheering us on until the end. And say that we will keep working to honor this Corinthians shirt more and more.”

The relationship with the Fiel also came up at another point in the interview. Asked about the chants from the stands, Tamires said she did not interpret them as a protest and defended the commitment shown by the team.

“I don’t agree that it was a protest chant. I think you could feel the fans supporting us and singing the whole time, ‘let’s play with grit and heart,’ ‘it’s the people’s team.’ Anyway, the fans came, did their part, and encouraged us. I don’t think the team lacked fight on the pitch. We also have to understand that there’s a very qualified team on the other side, a team that has had an excellent season and got here on merit too, just as we got here on merit, and nothing has been decided yet. It was a bad result, and obviously we’re not happy with the defeat, but there is still the second leg.”

Tamires questions difference in rest period

The final part of the interview also included an assessment of the schedule. Before the final, São Paulo had played its previous match on Saturday afternoon, while Corinthians only took the field on Monday night.

Tamires made a point of saying she was not using that as an excuse for the defeat, but felt the difference in recovery time between the teams hurt Corinthians. The full-back also argued that this kind of situation should be reviewed in decisive stages.

“Look, it’s a point that we— I don’t want it to sound like an excuse, but yes, it is something that ended up, in a way, hurting Corinthians. When we talk about the intensity knockout matches require, these are very, very difficult games, and two days make a difference. São Paulo played on Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and we played on Monday night. So think about it, how many hours is that? Forty-eight? Almost sixty more hours of rest for one team. I don’t think that’s fair. I do think that has to be reviewed, because it ends up hurting a team that plays with intensity, a team that wants to press.

And today, yes, I felt that in the second half, I thought we could feel that a little, you know? But that doesn’t get into our heads during the match, we’re there trying the whole time, going until the end. So, like I said, I don’t want it to sound like an excuse, but it does need to be reviewed, especially when you get to these final stages, to make it as fair as possible. We brought in VAR to make the championship fair, to put both teams on equal footing in that sense, and when it comes to kickoff times, it gets a little complicated for one team to have sixty more hours of rest than the other in a final.”

Corinthians will now have a week to prepare for the match that will decide the 2026 Brazilian Women’s Championship. After losing the first leg 2-1, the Brabas need to win by two goals or more at MorumBIS to claim the title in regulation time. A one-goal Corinthians victory would send the final to penalties, while São Paulo can play for a draw. The second and decisive Majestoso takes place next Saturday (3) at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at MorumBIS.

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