Flamengo and Grêmio will play an unprecedented Women’s Under-20 Cup final in Pacaembu

The third edition of the Under-20 Women’s Cup met its finalists this Tuesday afternoon (16). In an exciting double round held in the capital São Paulo, Flamengo and Grêmio defeated their opponents and secured a place in the big decision of the main youth tournament of the category in the country. The two teams will face each other next Saturday (20), at the historic Pacaembu stadium.

The Grêmio ranking brought strong doses of drama to the Worker Sports and Educational Recreation Center (Céret). The “Musketeers” delivered a balanced duel against Santos, which ended in a goalless draw in regulation time. The vacant position therefore had to be decided on the lime brand. On penalties, star goalkeeper Josi shone. The archer, who previously stood out during Brazil’s semi-final at this year’s U-17 World Cup, defended Gabs’ midfielder. With 100% success in their shots, Tricolor Gaúcho won 5-3 and stamped their passport.

The result maintained a curious taboo in the competition: although the tournament took place on São Paulo soil, no club from the state of São Paulo has ever reached the final. In previous editions, the decisions were Flamengo x Botafogo (2023) and Fluminense x Internacional (2024).

Flamengo maintains tradition

At the Canindé stadium, Flamengo affirmed Rio’s tradition in the tournament. The ‘Meninas da Gávea’ beat Internacional 2-1 in a lightning-fast turnaround. The Gurias Coloradas took the lead early in the second half through Joana, but top scorer Brendha took the responsibility. The striker scored two goals in the space of four minutes (at 30 and 34), scored eight goals in the competition and secured the ranking.

Saturday’s duel pits two teams seeking redemption for the 2025 season. Both clubs have hit the woodwork in domestic competitions this year: Flamengo lost the U20 Brasileirão title to Botafogo, while Grêmio lost to Corinthians in the U17 final. Now they have the chance to end the year with the trophy lifted in Pacaembu. Flamengo is struggling to maintain the hegemony of Rio de Janeiro (the only champion state to date), while Grêmio is trying to take the trophy south for the first time.

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