Ferroviária boss hails Corinthians reign, eyes Women’s Copa do Brasil tie | OneFootball

Corinthians already know their next challenge in the 2026 Women’s Copa do Brasil. In the round of 16, the Brabas will face Ferroviária in a single-leg match scheduled for July 20 at 8:00 p.m. (Brasília time) at Arena Fonte Luminosa in Araraquara. Before the knockout clash, however, the teams will also face each other in the Paulista Championship on July 17 at 7:00 p.m. (Brasília time) at Fazendinha.

In an interview with Lance!, Ferroviária head coach Léo Mendes analyzed the current state of Brazilian women’s football, highlighted the dominance Corinthians have built in recent years, and said that despite the growth of other teams, the black-and-white club remains the benchmark in the sport.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

Commenting on the evolution of the national scene, the coach said the gap between Corinthians and their competitors has narrowed in recent years, although Timão remain the main force in Brazilian women’s football.

“Before returning to Ferroviária, I watched from the outside and saw Corinthians winning practically everything: the Brazilian Championship, the Libertadores, the Paulista. At times, they even let certain competitions go because of the schedule, but they were still extremely dominant. I used to wonder when someone would be able to truly go toe-to-toe with that team. Today, I think that gap has narrowed a lot. Palmeiras have already won major titles, Ferroviária have also been reducing that difference, and other teams have grown a lot. I remember as a fan Ferroviária’s last Brazilian Championship title, when Luciana had a historic match. Back then, whenever Corinthians took the field, the feeling was that they were going to win unless something extraordinary happened.

Football allows for that, but it was a very dominant team. Today, Corinthians are still a benchmark. They have a new coaching staff that has already managed to give the team an identity, players of the highest level, and great ability to decide matches. For us, facing teams of that size is important because it measures our progress. It is also an opportunity for younger players to experience big matches, gain experience, and build competitive toughness. Based on their history, Corinthians are still the main team in Brazilian women’s football. Palmeiras have already drawn very close in terms of investment, structure, and squad, but we have a lot of respect for the path Corinthians have built. At the same time, we want to earn our place and become more and more of a threat.”

The head-to-head record reinforces the recent historic balance of the matchup, but with a wide Corinthians advantage. In 41 matches between the teams, Corinthians have 30 wins, ten draws, and just one defeat. The Brabas scored 89 goals and conceded 23 in that span.

Ferroviária’s only victory over Corinthians came on August 24, 2022, in the Brazilian Championship. Even so, the Araraquara side also holds a memorable moment against the black-and-white club: winning the 2019 Women’s Brasileirão. On that occasion, after two draws in the final, Ferroviária won the penalty shootout at Fazendinha to claim the national title.

Even while acknowledging the difficulty of the matchup, Léo Mendes said the single-game format of the Copa do Brasil increases Ferroviária’s chances and stressed the importance of neutralizing Corinthians’ strengths without giving up the team’s identity.

“The Copa do Brasil is a very interesting competition precisely because it allows this kind of matchup. Of course, in the draw, you think you could have faced a different opponent, but it is also a tournament that gives teams from other divisions opportunities to grow, attract investment, and strengthen the sport. Now we will have a single game, and that changes the whole scenario. It is only 90 minutes. We need to believe it can be our day, play a great match, neutralize Corinthians’ main strengths, and at the same time maintain our identity as a team.”

Corinthians secured their place in the round of 16 after eliminating Palmeiras with a 1-0 win at Allianz Parque, thanks to a goal from Gabi Zanotti. Ferroviária advanced after thrashing UDA 8-0.

Before the decisive Copa do Brasil clash, the teams will meet again in the Women’s Paulista Championship. The match will be played at Fazendinha and will mark the Brabas’ official return to competition after the World Cup break. Ferroviária currently lead the state tournament with nine points, while Corinthians sit second with four.

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