1989 Paulista champion | OneFootball

On July 2, 1989, São Paulo drew 0-0 with São José at Morumbis and, having won the first leg 1-0 (with an own goal by André Luis) at the same venue, were crowned the 1989 São Paulo state champions — the 16th state title in the club’s history.

The Tricolor side coached by Cilinho began the 1989 Paulistão inconsistently. They opened with a win over XV de Jaú at Pacaembu (3-1), but then lost away to the other XV, XV de Piracicaba, by 1-0. Even after three straight wins against Mogi Mirim, Noroeste, and América de São José do Rio Preto, calm did not last: the team went through a rather frustrating and troublesome run of four draws (with two defeats in post-match penalty shootouts — a new feature in that season’s regulations).

In that context, the São Paulo board brought in coach Carlos Alberto Silva to replace the creator of the Menudos. Even then, the squad did not really click. In the new manager’s first six matches, there was only one win (4-0 over Juventus). In the derbies, the performances also left much to be desired: a draw against Palmeiras at Morumbis (1-1) and defeats to Corinthians (2-0 at home) and Santos (2-1 at Pacaembu).

Wins over Guarani, São Bento, and Santo André, however, allowed Tricolor to qualify for the second phase of the tournament through the overall performance ranking across the competition’s two groups (the eighth-best campaign, so to speak, among the 12 successful teams).

The second phase consisted of four groups of three clubs each, and São Paulo were placed in Group 4 alongside Guarani and Inter de Limeira. They came through without major scares, recording two wins and two draws to finish first. It was at this stage that the competition produced its first major upset, with Bragantino eliminating Palmeiras. São José also surprised many by knocking out Portuguesa. The last team to qualify for the semifinals was Corinthians, who had to get past Santos.

In the knockout stage, São Paulo ran into great difficulty against an up-and-coming Bragantino side, but won both matches, home and away (2-0 — featuring a stunning goal from an impossible angle by Mário Tilico — and 1-0). Corinthians, meanwhile, who had won the first leg at home 2-0, somehow managed the feat of losing the return match to São José 1-0 in regular time and 2-0 in extra time).

Thus, on June 28, São Paulo and São José played the first leg of the final at Morumbis. The team from the countryside held the advantage of a draw over the two-leg final, as they had the better overall record. Even so, they would only be champions in that case if they also drew both periods of extra time. Tricolor needed to win.

In the middle of the São Paulo capital’s winter, just over 50,000 fans turned up at Morumbis that Wednesday night to witness what was truly a dramatic match. Not so much because of emotion or technical quality, but because of the chances wasted by Tricolor, especially in the first half, against a combative but tightly packed side — and one that, with every passing minute, became even more defensive.

However, when very little time remained, in the 41st minute of the second half, São Paulo were rewarded for being the only team trying to win the game. In a messy play inside the São José box, the defender himself touched the ball and sent it into the net, opening and closing the scoring in Tricolor’s favor, and thanks to that goal they would need only a draw in the second leg.

For the decisive match, São Paulo would have Ney back in the starting lineup — he had missed the previous match while serving a suspension for a third yellow card, with Mazinho taking his place. And despite muscle pain in Vizolli’s case and knee pain in Bobô’s, both would play anyway, even if under strain.

On Sunday, at 5 p.m., Morumbis was packed. Nearly 98,000 fans eagerly awaited the chance to witness another São Paulo title: it would be the club’s fifth state championship of the 1980s, a decade that had also brought the club’s second Brazilian title, in the 1986 competition. Success there would mean one more crown for Tricolor: that of king of the decade.

Because São Paulo had turned the advantage around, the complexion of the match was the opposite of the first leg. More relaxed on the field, Tricolor prioritized the midfield, while keeping the team’s main weapon — overlapping runs down the flanks by Nelsinho and Zé Teodoro — in reserve.

Because the São Paulo side was more technically gifted and well set up in a solid defensive system, São José had little to offer in attack. After all, the team from the countryside also did not want to leave its defenders exposed. The situation changed, however, in the second half. Going all or nothing, the Águia do Vale pushed forward, giving the Tricolor exactly what they wanted most: space to counterattack, especially through Mário Tilico out wide.

In the 21st minute, from a free kick, Edivaldo struck a dangerous curling effort over the wall, but the ball, cruelly, hit the goalkeeper’s left post. São José did not hold back and, four minutes later, struck Tricolor keeper Gilmar’s crossbar after a thunderous shot from outside the box by Delacir.

That was the cue for Tricolor to take full control of the game’s tempo at last. With the draw in hand, São Paulo won the 1989 Paulista championship!

THE FIRST LEG OF THE FINAL

06/28/1989São Paulo (SP)Cícero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium – Morumbis

SÃO PAULO Futebol Clube 1 x 0 SÃO JOSÉ Esporte Clube

SPFC: Gilmar; Zé Teodoro, Adílson, Ricardo Rocha and Nelsinho; Vizolli, Bobô and Raí ©; Mário Tilico, Mazinho Loiola (Paulo César) and Edivaldo. Coach: Carlos Alberto Silva. Goal: André Luís (own goal), 41/2.

SJEC: Luiz Henrique; Marcelo, Juninho ©, André Luís and Joãozinho; Delacir, Tita (Henrique) and Vânder Luís; Donizete, Tôni and Marcinho (Tonho). Coach: Ademir Mello.

Referee: Dulcidio Wanderley Boschilla. Gate: NCz$261,514.00. Attendance: 50,366 paid.

Adílson, Gilmar, Vizolli, Ricardo Rocha, Nelsinho and Zé Teodoro; Hélio Santos (masseur), Mário Tilico, Bobô, Mazinho Loiola, Raí and Edivaldo

THE SECOND LEG OF THE FINAL

07/02/1989São Paulo (SP)Cícero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium – Morumbis

SÃO JOSÉ Esporte Clube 0 X 0 SÃO PAULO Futebol Clube

SJEC: Luis Henrique; Marcelo, Juninho, Andre Luis and Joãozinho; Delacir, Fabiano (Wilson) and Vander Luis; Donizetti (Henrique), Toni and Tita. Coach: Ademir Mello.

SPFC: Gilmar; Zé Teodoro, Adílson, Ricardo Rocha and Nelsinho; Vizolli, Bobô (Benê) and Raí ©; Mário Tilico, Ney Bala (Bernardo) and Edivaldo. Coach: Carlos Alberto Silva

Tião (kit man), Adílson, Gilmar, Vizolli, Ricardo Rocha, Nelsinho and Zé Teodoro; Jairo (kit man), Hélio Santos (masseur), Mário Tilico, Bobô, Ney Bala, Raí and Edivaldo

THE CAMPAIGN

First Phase02/20/1989 – 3 X 1 – Esporte Clube XV de Novembro (Jaú – SP)02/23/1989 – 0 X 1 – Esporte Clube XV de Novembro (Piracicaba – SP)03/01/1989 – 3 X 0 – MOGI MIRIM Esporte Clube (SP)03/04/1989 – 3 X 1 – Esporte Clube NOROESTE (SP)03/12/1989 – 4 X 1 – AMÉRICA Futebol Clube (São José do Rio Preto – SP)03/22/1989 – 0 X 0 – UNIÃO SÃO JOÃO Esporte Clube (SP) 2 X 4 pens.03/26/1989 – 0 X 0 – Grêmio Esportivo CATANDUVENSE (SP) 4 X 2 pens.03/29/1989 – 0 X 0 – Grêmio Esportivo NOVORIZONTINO (SP) 8 X 7 pens.04/02/1989 – 0 X 0 – Associação Atl. INTERNACIONAL (Limeira – SP) 0 X 3 pens.04/05/1989 – 1 X 0 – BOTAFOGO Futebol Clube (Ribeirão Preto – SP)04/09/1989 – 1 X 1 – Associação FERROVIÁRIA de Esportes (SP)04/15/1989 – 0 X 0 – SÃO JOSÉ Esporte Clube (SP) 3 X 5 pens.04/19/1989 – 4 X 0 – Clube Atlético JUVENTUS (SP)04/23/1989 – 1 X 1 – Associação PORTUGUESA de Desportos (SP)04/30/1989 – 1 X 1 – Sociedade Esportiva PALMEIRAS (SP)05/04/1989 – 0 X 1 – Clube Atlético BRAGANTINO (SP)05/07/1989 – 0 X 2 – Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista (SP)05/14/1989 – 1 X 0 – GUARANI Futebol Clube (SP)05/18/1989 – 1 X 2 – SANTOS Futebol Clube (SP)05/21/1989 – 3 X 0 – Esporte Club SÃO BENTO (SP)05/27/1989 – 1 X 0 – Esporte Clube SANTO ANDRÉ (SP)

Second Phase06/03/1989 – 1 X 1 – GUARANI Futebol Clube (SP)06/08/1989 – 1 X 1 – Associação Atlética INTERNACIONAL (Limeira – SP)06/14/1989 – 1 X 0 – Associação Atlética INTERNACIONAL (Limeira – SP)06/17/1989 – 3 X 2 – GUARANI Futebol Clube (SP)

Semifinals06/21/1989 – 2 X 0 – Clube Atlético BRAGANTINO (SP)06/24/1989 – 1 X 0 – Clube Atlético BRAGANTINO (SP)

By Michael Serra / João Farah Historical Archive

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