Paysandu claims sixth Copa Verde title with aggregate victory over Anápolis
The Pará-based side defeated Anápolis 4-0 on Sunday to secure a 5-3 aggregate triumph, cementing their status as the most successful club in the competition’s history.
Paysandu secured its sixth Copa Verde title on Sunday, 7 June, by defeating Anápolis 4-0 at Mangueirão in Belém, Pará. The result completed a 5-3 aggregate victory for the home side, following a 3-1 win in the first leg played at Jonas Duarte Stadium. The triumph extends Paysandu’s record as the most successful club in the tournament, having appeared in ten finals and finished as runner-up on four previous occasions.
Anápolis reached the final for the first time in the competition’s history after winning the Copa Centro-Oeste. They had defeated Rio Branco-ES in the regional qualifiers to earn their place in the decider. Paysandu qualified via the Copa Norte, having overcome Nacional-AM in two matches. This year, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) split the Copa Verde into two regional competitions, with a total of 24 clubs participating in the qualifiers before the champions met in the final.
The match at Mangueirão saw Paysandu overturn the deficit from the first leg through a dominant performance. Kleiton Pego opened the scoring in the first half with a long-range shot. Castro doubled the lead early in the second half, equalising the aggregate score. The visitors, who had defended their first-leg advantage, struggled to contain the home side’s tactical organisation and speed.
Paysandu sealed the victory in stoppage time when Ítalo, who started on the bench, scored twice in the 46th and 48th minutes. The goals ended any prospect of a penalty shootout, allowing the home crowd to celebrate the club’s sixth crown. The victory was marked by significant fan engagement at the stadium, with supporters having backed the team’s ability to reverse the first-leg result.
Trophies and medals were presented by CBF Competitions Director Julio Avellar, alongside Ricardo Paul, president of the Pará Football Federation, and Ronei Freitas, president of the Goiás Football Federation. The win confirms Paysandu’s continued dominance in the Copa Verde, a Brazilian football competition that has seen the club reach the final in ten of its thirteen editions.
