Galinho battle to the end, draw, but lose U17 Copa do Brasil on pens | OneFootball

Atlético’s dream of winning a second consecutive Under-17 Copa do Brasil title came agonizingly close. On Tuesday night (26), in front of more than 10,000 fans at Arena MRV, Galinho drew 2-2 with Athletico-PR in regular time, but ended up losing on penalties and finished as runners-up in the competition.

The Atlético side dominated the first half and could have built an even bigger lead before the break. The black-and-white team’s goal came in the 41st minute. After a great individual play by Riquelme, the forward was brought down inside the box and the referee awarded a penalty. Vinícius stepped up and struck it firmly to put Galinho ahead.

In the second half, Athletico-PR came back more aggressive and managed to turn the game around. Seven minutes in, midfielder Leonardo Cerci hit a beautiful shot from the edge of the box to level the score. Then, in the 25th minute, after Willian Bispo’s free kick was blocked by the wall, Bruno Gabriel pounced on the rebound and fired home a fine shot to put Furacão in front.

When the title seemed to be slipping away, Atlético found strength in the closing stages. In the 43rd minute, João Guilherme was brought down inside the area and the referee awarded another penalty to Galinho. Gomide took the kick and converted it, making it 2-2 and sending the decision to penalties.

In the shootout, Atlético missed two attempts, while Athletico-PR missed only one. As a result, the team from Paraná lifted the Under-17 Copa do Brasil trophy.

One to watch…

Despite the frustration of finishing as runners-up, Atlético’s campaign reinforces the strength of the club’s current youth generation. Brazilian Under-17 champions in 2025, Galinho continue to produce important talents for the club’s future.

Some players from that title-winning campaign have already been promoted to higher levels and even to the senior squad, such as center-back Vitão, full-back Pascini and striker Cauã Soares, who have already been given opportunities with Galo’s first team.

In the team that finished as runners-up in the Copa do Brasil, a few players stood out. That includes full-back Samuel, defensive midfielder Gomide, attacking midfielder Vinícius, and forwards Riquelme and Gabriel Veneno.

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