The Brazil Women’s U-17 National Team is on fire! In a dominant display on Friday night, they crushed Peru 5-0 at the Ameliano Villeta Stadium in Paraguay, securing their spot in the semifinals of the South American Championship. With one match still to play, the Canarinho are sitting pretty at the top of Group B with a perfect nine points—three wins from three games.
The goals came from a trio of rising stars: Mari Gigante, Nicolly, and a hat-trick hero, Marcela. Yes, you read that right—Marcela bagged three goals to seal the deal and boost Brazil's goal difference ahead of the knockout stages. It's the kind of performance that gets fans dreaming of World Cup glory.
Speaking of the World Cup, the stakes are high. The top two teams from each group advance to the semis, but that's just the beginning. The finalists automatically punch their tickets to the U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco, while the third-placed teams from each group will have to fight it out with the second-phase losers for the last two spots. Every match counts, and Brazil is making sure they don't leave anything to chance.
Coach Rilany Silva has her squad firing on all cylinders. From the opening whistle, Brazil took control. Just ten minutes in, a slick pass from Isa Rech found Helena, who set up Mari Gigante for a clinical finish. The No. 22 made no mistake, slotting home to give Brazil an early lead.
But they weren't done. In the 33rd minute, a neat exchange between two Flamengo forwards—Pinho and Nicolly—led to a second goal. Nicolly was in the right place at the right time to double the lead before halftime.
After the break, Brazil came out swinging. Two minutes in, substitute Mari Martins drove into the box and crossed for Marcela, who beat the Peruvian keeper to make it 3-0. From there, Marcela took over, adding two more goals to complete her hat-trick and put the game well out of reach.
Next up, Brazil faces Ecuador on Sunday at 5 p.m. Brasília time, back at the Ameliano Villeta Stadium. Ecuador sits second in the group with five points, so this is a chance for the Canarinho to finish the group stage undefeated and build momentum for the semis. Catch all the action live on SporTV.
With their attacking flair and solid defense, Brazil is looking like a team to watch. Whether you're a fan of the beautiful game or just love seeing young talent shine, this squad is proving they have what it takes to go all the way. Stay tuned—the best is yet to come.