Under-20s: Ceará beat Vila Real again, seal Cearense semi-final spot | OneFootball

Gabriel Silva / Ceará SC

Ceará has qualified for the semifinals of the Ceará U-20 Championship. This Sunday, the 2nd, Vozão defeated Vila Real 3-1, with goals from Kaiky, Janderson, and Gabriel Amaral, at Franzé Moraes Stadium (Cidade Vozão), in Itaitinga (CE). Deydson scored for the opposition. In the first leg, the Alvinegro de Porangabuçu had already won 2-0, securing a place among the competition’s top four.

In the semifinal, Ceará will face Tirol, who eliminated Anjos do Céu. The matchups, played over two legs, are scheduled for August 8 and 22.

So far, Vozão have played nine matches in the Ceará U-20 Championship, with seven wins and two draws. Overall, the team has scored 25 goals and conceded only five.

THE MATCH

With dominant possession and control of the game, Ceará created the best chances in the first half and opened the scoring as early as the 10th minute. After a free-kick delivery from Bruninho, Kaiky rose above the defense and headed the ball into the top corner, leaving the opposing goalkeeper with no chance. Before that, Figueiredo had already forced a good save from the keeper with a shot from outside the box.

Even with the lead, Vozão kept up the pressure on Vila Real and continued creating chances. In the 12th minute, Gabriel Amaral received the ball on the left, cut inside, and shot to the right of the goalkeeper.

The opponents responded in the 15th minute, when André Lucas found himself unmarked in the six-yard box and wasted the chance to equalize by hitting Gustavo Martins’s crossbar.

That moment, however, was isolated. Ceará remained the better side throughout the first half and threatened again through Ronald and Pedro Esli, but both were denied by Kauã.

In the closing stages of the first half, in the 40th minute, Kaiky had another chance to score. After another delivery from Bruninho, the center-back rose above the defense again, but was denied by a great save from the opposing goalkeeper.

Shortly before halftime, Janderson received the ball and tried his luck from outside the box. Goalkeeper Kauã made a mistake on the play, and the shot ended up in the back of the net, extending Alvinegro’s lead.

After the break, Vila Real tried to cut the deficit. In the 13th minute, Turi broke forward at speed, entered the box, and, one-on-one with Gustavo Martins, wasted the chance. Six minutes later, Kauan Nóbrega crossed for Deydson, who scored the Sobral side’s first goal.

To keep control of the match, coach Rogério Ferreira made changes to the team. Victor The, one of the players brought on in the second half, won a penalty in the 23rd minute. From the spot, Gabriel Amaral struck into the goalkeeper’s left corner and scored Ceará’s third goal.

Still not giving up, Vila Real threatened again in the 34th minute. Turi surged forward at pace and shot to the left of Gustavo Martins, causing danger for the Alvinegro goal.

Vozão responded in the 38th minute with a sequence of three chances. First, Victor The shot and Kauã made the save. On the rebound, Guilherme tried, but the goalkeeper once again prevented the goal. From the loose ball, Victor The shot again, and Vila Real’s No. 1 made yet another save.

In the final minutes, Ceará managed their advantage and controlled the match until the final whistle, securing the win and qualification for the semifinals of the Ceará U-20 Championship.

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