The Brazilian women’s team was defeated by the United States 1-0 on Tuesday night (9), at Arena Castelão, in Fortaleza. The game brought together 55,744 fans and marked Rainha Marta’s return to the field wearing the yellow shirt after a long period away. The setback ended Data FIFA with a negative balance after the victory in the first friendly.
The North American winning goal came in the 17th minute of the second half. Sophia Wilson took a shot from outside the area and the ball deflected off Isabela before going in. On the scoresheet, the referee recorded it as an own goal for the Brazilian. It was the United States’ first victory on Brazilian soil in almost 30 years.
The previous Saturday, in São Paulo, Brazil had beaten the same opponent 2-1, with goals from Tainá Maranhão and Bia Zaneratto. The result in Fortaleza interrupted the good moment and left harsh lessons about emotional control and tactical discipline in the final minutes.
Marta returns and gains important minutes
At 40 years old, Marta came on 35 minutes into the second half. It was his first match since the last Copa América. The presence of the greatest player in the history of Brazilian women’s football gave a special tone to the night at Castelão, even with the unfavorable score. Shirt number 10 still had a chance to equalize, but was unable to find the net.
Chaos in stoppage time and series of expulsions
The game ended in great confusion. Brazil lost several players on the field in the final minutes. Bia Zaneratto, Tarciane, Kerolin and Ludmila were expelled. Coach Arthur Elias and three members of the coaching staff also received a red card. Spanish referee Paola Cebollada López needed a police escort to leave the pitch amidst the revolt of the fans and the Brazilian bench.
Marta and Angelina criticize arbitration
Marta spared no criticism of the referee’s performance after the final whistle. The Queen called the match “clowning” and said that the judge wanted to be the “main figure of the show”. Angelina and other players also vented about the decisions, which, in the team’s view, harmed the progress of the match. The coaching staff showed strong irritation with the performance of the refereeing team throughout the second half.
Individual highlights and concerns
Goalkeeper Lorena was one of the great Brazilian highlights with important saves that kept the team in the match until the goal conceded. However, Dudinha was injured in the first half after feeling her knee, causing concern for the rest of the preparation. A headed goal by Isa Haas was ruled out by VAR for offside.
Preparation for the 2027 World Cup
The defeat, despite the result, serves as a warning for Arthur Elias’ technical committee just a few months away from the 2027 Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in Brazil. The confrontation exposed the need for greater emotional control in high-level games against powers like the United States, which has dominated the world rankings for years. The record attendance at Castelão showed the growing interest in women’s football in the country.
