Aranha blunders, redeems in shootout, Palmeiras reach Copinha semis | OneFootball

Palmeiras defeated Flamengo-SP 13-12 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time on Thursday afternoon (15th), at Arena Crefisa Barueri, in Barueri, in the third round of the São Paulo Junior Football Cup, securing a spot in the round of 16. Sorriso scored Palmeiras' goal in regular time and Raul equalized after an error by Aranha.

In the penalty shootout, after a 40-minute interruption due to a power outage at Arena Crefisa Barueri, Palmeiras won after 13 penalties from each side, closing the series at 13-12.

Kauã Lira, Coutinho, Victor Gabriel, Pimenta, and Robson converted the five regular penalties for Verdão, but Flamengo-SP also converted all five. In the sudden death rounds, Hugo, Juan Gabriel, Rocha, João Paulo, Antônio Marcos, and Aranha converted – all 11 Palmeiras players who finished the game. Kauã Lira and Coutinho scored the 12th and 13th penalties, and Aranha shined on Flamengo's 13th attempt, saving Tudisco's shot. 13-12 final score.

Verdão will now face the winner of Fluminense vs. Ituano, who play later this Thursday in Santana do Parnaíba, metropolitan region of São Paulo. The round of 16 match will take place on Saturday (17th), with the time and location yet to be determined by the FPF (São Paulo Football Federation).

Palmeiras has played five matches in the competition so far, with three wins and two draws, scoring 20 goals and conceding six – the team's top scorer in the tournament is forward Sorriso, with five goals.

Palmeiras U-20 lineup: Aranha; Luis Saboia (Juan Gabriel), Robson, Pimenta, and André Lucas (Rocha); Coutinho and Fabio (João Paulo); Eduardo (Antônio Marcos), Felipe Teresa (Kauã Lira), Victor Gabriel, and Sorriso (Hugo). Coach: Lucas Andrade.

See the match report:

Quiet first half

The Flamengo-SP team started the match well, neutralizing Palmeiras' offense and making some attacking moves, forcing goalkeeper Aranha to get his uniform dirty just two minutes in, after a shot from the edge of the box.

From the 10th minute on, Palmeiras improved, had more possession, and even with few real chances, managed to open the scoring at 45 minutes with a goal from Sorriso, the team's top scorer in the Copinha, who broke into the box, dribbled past the defender, and finished well. 1-0.

Verdão almost extended the lead in the last play. André Lucas was brought down in the box, the referee awarded a penalty, but goalkeeper Matheus Roger saved Victor Gabriel's shot.

Rain and Aranha's mistake

The start of the second half saw few chances from either side and a lot of rain at Arena Crefisa Barueri. Verdão, controlling the game with the lead, started making substitutions to stay fresh physically, while Flamengo struggled to attack.

However, a play at the 21st minute changed the course of the game. The Guarulhos team worked the ball around the defense and Raul took advantage of a mistake by goalkeeper Aranha to simply tap the ball in for the equalizer: 1-1.

After conceding, Palmeiras went all out, but the heavy pitch due to the strong rain in Barueri prevented good football. Coutinho, at 38 minutes, and Antônio Marcos, at 41, had the best chances. 1-1 final score and penalties at Arena Barueri.

Endless penalties

In the penalty shootout, after a 40-minute interruption due to a power outage at Arena Crefisa Barueri, Palmeiras won after 13 penalties from each side, closing the series at 13-12.

Kauã Lira, Coutinho, Victor Gabriel, Pimenta, and Robson converted the five regular penalties for Verdão, but Flamengo-SP also converted all five.

In the sudden death rounds, Hugo, Juan Gabriel, Rocha, João Paulo, Antônio Marcos, Aranha, Kauã Lira, and Coutinho all scored, and Aranha shined on Flamengo's 13th attempt, saving Tudisco's shot. 13-12 final score.

What now?

Now, the opponent will be the winner of Fluminense vs. Ituano, who play later this Thursday in Santana do Parnaíba. The round of 16 match will be on Saturday (17th). The time and location will be confirmed later by the FPF.

The Academy Kids are chasing their third Copinha title. In 2022, Verdão won the tournament for the first time by thrashing Santos 4-0 in the final at Allianz Parque, with goals from Endrick, Giovani, and Gabriel Silva (twice). The following year, they won their second title with a 2-1 victory over América-MG in the final at Canindé, with goals from Ruan Ribeiro and Patrick.

See Palmeiras' upcoming Copinha matches:

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