Under-20 keeper eyes Paulista semis, urges focus: "Nothing settled" | OneFootball

Kauan Lima was decisive in Palmeiras’ 1-0 victory in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Paulista Under-20 Championship. The result put Verdão one step away from the semifinals. The Alviverde team returns to the field this Sunday at 3 p.m. (Brasília time), at Arena Barueri, needing only a draw to advance to the next stage.

“We have the advantage, but we know nothing is decided yet. Botafogo-SP is a quality team and will fight for qualification, but we are prepared. Playing at home, with the support of our fans, we will stay focused to play a great match and move on to the semifinals,” he stated.

Goalkeeper shined with penalty save

In the first match, Kauan was crucial for Palmeiras to take the lead against Botafogo-SP. Rodrigo opened the scoring for the Crias da Academia at the 26th minute of the first half. Early in the second half, the goalkeeper saved a penalty and ensured Palestra finished the match without conceding a goal.

Kauan Lima looked ahead to the second leg of the quarterfinals and emphasized that, despite the advantage, the tie is not yet decided. The goalkeeper stressed that the team needs to maintain focus to keep progressing in the competition.

“I’m very happy to have helped the team at such an important moment. I train a lot to face these kinds of situations, and in this match I was able to make the save. It’s very rewarding to contribute to a victory like this, away from home, and to see the whole group’s work being rewarded,” Kauan added.

Palmeiras’ campaign in the Paulista Under-20

In the Paulista Under-20, Palmeiras has already played 20 matches: 18 wins, one draw, and two losses, with 72 goals scored and 11 conceded. These numbers make Verdão the team with the best overall campaign in the State Championship. The team’s top scorer is Agner, with six goals. In the second phase, Alviverde got past Sertãozinho, and in the round of 16, eliminated Referência.

Palmeiras is seeking its 14th Paulista Under-20 title, having won six of the last eight editions of the tournament. In 2023, the Crias da Academia were crowned champions after defeating São Paulo, winning both legs of the final.

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