Palmeiras beats Fortaleza 3-0 in Copa do Brasil round of 16 first leg, all goals after half-time
Abel Ferreira's Palmeiras took a commanding 3-0 lead over second-division Fortaleza in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16, with all three goals coming after the interval.
Match summary
Palmeiras defeated Fortaleza 3-0 in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil round of 16 on Sunday at Nubank Parque in São Paulo. The home side controlled much of the play but went into the break goalless after a first half of few clear chances. The breakthrough came immediately after the restart, and two further goals gave Abel Ferreira's team a comfortable advantage ahead of the return fixture. Fortaleza, a second-division club fighting for promotion to the top flight, failed to register a shot on target against goalkeeper Carlos Miguel.
Goals
Mauricio opened the scoring in the 48th minute, receiving a pass from Ramón Sosa and firing past goalkeeper João Ricardo. Jhon Arias doubled the lead in the 64th minute, heading in a cross from the right delivered by Allan Elias. Flaco López, who had entered the match in the 69th minute, completed the scoring in the 85th minute after a period of sustained pressure. All three goals came in the second half, reflecting the impact of Ferreira's half-time talk.
- Mauricio opens the scoring
- Jhon Arias doubles the lead
- Flaco López completes the 3-0 win
Coach's reaction
Abel Ferreira praised his players' performance after the match, stressing the need to maintain concentration for the second leg. The Portuguese coach made several substitutions to manage the squad, and one of those changes produced the third goal. Ferreira's side now travels to Fortaleza with a three-goal cushion and a clear path to the quarter-finals.
Second leg
The return match is scheduled for 6 August at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza. Kickoff is set for 1:30 a.m. Lisbon time (9:30 p.m. local time in Fortaleza). Palmeiras will aim to confirm its place in the next round, having been eliminated at this stage in 2025 by eventual champion Corinthians. A draw or a defeat by two goals or fewer would be enough to advance.
League context
Palmeiras leads the Brazilian Série A with 47 points from 21 matches, eight points ahead of second-placed Flamengo, who has a game in hand. The team's strong domestic form under Ferreira extends across competitions, with the club seeking its first Copa do Brasil title since 2020. The comfortable first-leg win allows Ferreira to rotate his squad ahead of the next league fixture.
