Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Summary of the first 1/8 matches
Santos’ dreams of the World Cup were dashed when Bahia won the penalty shootout
Bahia emerged victorious from a thrilling game against Santos in the last 16 of the Copa do Brasil. The match, held at the Arena Fonte Nova, ended 1-1 in regulation time, with the decision going to penalties.
It was a lacklustre first half as both teams failed to create any meaningful chances throughout the match. It wasn’t until the hour mark that the game was stopped.
It was Cauly who scored a crucial goal for Bahia in the 69th minute, taking advantage of a defensive error by Rodrigo Fernández. Bruno Mezenga (90’+5) dramatically equalized for Santos in the final moments of the second half. After the teams drew 1-1 in regulation time, the game went to penalties.
Mezenga, who was Santos’ hero in regulation time, missed the decisive penalty, allowing Bahia to win the shootout 4-3. With the result, Bahia advanced to the quarter-finals, leaving Santos bitterly disappointed and eliminated from the national competition.
Fortaleza end Palmeiras’ long unbeaten run, but the Alviverde secure a place in the quarter-finals
In a match between Palmeiras and Fortaleza, Palmeiras suffered a 1-0 defeat to their opponents.
However, despite the defeat, Palmeiras secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil thanks to a 3-0 win in the first leg at Allianz Parque. The only goal of the match was scored by Fortaleza’s Lucero in the 73rd minute. But it wasn’t enough to overturn the deficit and prevent Ceará’s elimination from the competition. The game saw Palmeiras struggle to find their rhythm, failing to create clear chances, while Fortaleza managed to capitalize on their pressure to secure a hard-fought victory.
Despite the defeat, the overall aggregate score of 3-1 ensured Palmeiras’ qualification for the next round.
Grêmio advance to the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil with a 1-0 win over Cruzeiro
In a hotly contested match at Mineirão, Gremio came out victorious with a 1-0 win over Cruzeiro, securing their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.
The only goal of the game was scored by Paraguayan midfielder Villasanti in the 27th minute. He took advantage of a defensive error by Lucas Oliveira and finished with precision. Despite Cruzeiro having more possession and creating promising chances, a lack of effectiveness and some unfortunate shots against the post hindered the team’s progress. In the second half, Gremio adopted a more defensive stance, committing fouls and employing tactical strategies to thwart Cruzeiro’s advances.
With an aggregate score of 2-1, Grêmio not only advance in the tournament, but also win a substantial prize of R$4.3 million. On the other hand, Cruzeiro’s journey ends in the round of 16, just like last season when they were eliminated at the same stage.
Atlético-PR beats Botafogo in penalty shootout and secures place in quarter-finals
In an intense and emotionally charged match at Nilton Santos, Botafogo and Athletico-PR met in the second leg of the last 16 of the Copa do Brasil.
After a 3-2 defeat in the previous game, Botafogo recovered to secure a 1-0 victory in regulation time, thanks to Tiquinho Soares’ goal in the 17th minute. However, the final decision came down to a thrilling penalty shoot-out. Athletico-PR showed composure and precision, converting four of their five penalties, while Botafogo faltered, missing two crucial spot-kicks.
With a final score of 4-2 in the penalty shootout, Athletico-PR emerged victorious, securing their place in the quarter-finals of the tournament. The match showed the determination and resilience of both teams, but it was Athletico-PR who prevailed, leaving Botafogo disappointed but proud of their performance.
Corinthians triumph in epic battle and eliminate Atlético-MG on penalties
With blood in their eyes, Corinthians showed their fighting spirit and secured a place in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil on Wednesday night.
Down by two goals in the first leg, Timão turned things around with an extraordinary 2-0 win over Atlético-MG at the Arena Neo Química. Matheus Bidu and Róger Guedes were the heroes of the match, with a breathtaking performance. Bidu opened the scoring with a chest kick in the 34th minute, after an impressive creative move with Renato Augusto. Guedes then showed off his dribbling skills, leaving defenders behind, to double Corinthians’ lead in the 65th minute.
The match was eventually decided by a penalty shootout, in which goalkeeper Cássio stole the show by saving Hulk’s first shot. Despite Yuri Alberto’s miss, Corinthians emerged triumphant with strikes from Fábio Santos, Fausto Vera and Maycon. The incredible turnaround left fans in awe and solidified Corinthians’ reputation as a resilient force in Brazilian soccer.
América-MG surprise Internacional in penalty shootout and secure place in quarter-finals
On a thrilling night at Beira-Rio, América-MG showed immense mental strength to beat Internacional in a dramatic penalty shootout, coming out 5-4 victors. Despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in regulation time, the Minas Gerais side’s outstanding performance in the first leg, when they secured a 2-0 win, was vital in securing their place in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil.
Internacional started the match with great determination, dominating possession and constantly pressing América-MG. Their efforts were rewarded when Nico Hernández scored from a free-kick in the 20th minute, setting the Beira-Rio crowd alight. Igor Gomes doubled the lead for the hosts in the 33rd minute. Pedro Henrique (45’+2) further extended Internacional’s lead with a well-taken penalty just before half-time, putting them 3-0 ahead.
In the second half, América-MG showed a more attacking mentality in search of a goal that would guarantee their qualification. However, it was Internacional who had the best chances, with Renê wasting a clear opportunity to score. Finally, América-MG got the consolation goal with a header from Juninho in the 77th minute, making the score 3-1.
As tensions rose in the final minutes, neither team managed to create any significant threat. The decisive moment came during the penalty shootout, when América-MG showed nerves of steel, converting all five of their penalties. Despite Internacional converting four penalties, Carlos De Pena’s shot was disallowed due to a double tap, allowing América-MG to emerge victorious, 5-4 on penalties.