Eight Red Cards Spark Chaos
Eight Red Cards Mar Brazil's 1-0 Loss to USWNT in Tense, Record-Setting Friendly
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Key Points
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Before kickoff, Arena Castelão drew a record 55,744 fans and supporters unveiled a choreographed message across the stands—“Jogaremos Juntos” (“We will play together”)—while Spanish referee Paola Cebollada López was identified as taking a prominent role as cards piled up.
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Brazil coach Arthur Elias was first sent off in the 78th minute, and additional Brazilian staff were dismissed as well; U.S. Soccer said the ejections involved the use of “foul and abusive language.”
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While the goal was an own goal, coverage highlighted Sophia Wilson’s decisive solo run and also noted Brazilian goalkeeper Lorena’s “remarkable double save,” emphasizing that the match’s drama wasn’t limited to the late-game chaos.
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Ahead of the match, U.S. coach Emma Hayes warned the team would need “more toughness” to defeat Brazil in their second of two friendlies after Brazil’s 2-1 win in the earlier match.
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The Athletic’s rivalry context included specific head-to-head numbers and recent location-based trends: the U.S. is 35-5-5 against Brazil overall, and recent meetings showed neither side dominating away from home, including the U.S. splitting results in Los Angeles and San Jose last year before dropping a late 2-1 to Brazil in the second game.
Brazil's women's team received eight red cards in a wild 1-0 home loss to the United States on June 9 at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza. A 63rd-minute own goal — forced by Sophia Wilson's solo run — was all the USWNT needed to split the two-match series, with Brazil finishing the match in chaos as riot police entered the pitch to protect the referee. NY Post reported the ejections included head coach Arthur Elias, three staff members, and four players.
The crowd of 55,744 — a record for a women's match at Arena Castelão — had unfurled a tifo reading
Eight Red Cards Sent the Match Into Meltdown
Brazil coach Arthur Elias was sent off first, in the 78th minute, for persistent dissent. Three more backroom staff were dismissed shortly after for what U.S. Soccer called
The post-match scene was just as ugly. Kerolin and Ludmila were sent off for
Wilson's Deflected Strike Decided a Tense Game
The only goal came in the 63rd minute. Sophia Wilson split two defenders on a solo run and hit a low shot that deflected off Brazil defender Isabela Chagas and wrong-footed goalkeeper Lorena. The USWNT finished with six shots on goal. Brazil had zero in the second match — a sharp drop from their high-energy 2-1 win in São Paulo three days earlier, Yahoo Sports reported.
Lorena had kept Brazil in the game earlier with what Nine described as a
Brazil Blamed the Referee, U.S. Praised Emotional Control
Brazilian legend Marta, subbed on in the 80th minute for her 212th appearance, did not hold back after the final whistle. She accused Spanish referee Paola Cebollada López of wanting to be the
USWNT coach Emma Hayes took a different view. She praised her team's
A Rivalry Built on Heartbreak, Headed to a World Cup Clash
The U.S. holds a dominant 35-5-5 all-time record against Brazil. But Yahoo Sports noted that recent meetings have been tight, with neither side dominating on the other's turf. The U.S. split results in Los Angeles and San Jose last year before dropping a late 2-1 decision to Brazil in the second game of that series — mirroring this tour's pattern exactly.
The stakes go beyond pride. Arena Castelão will host matches at the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, making this a dry run for FIFA and local organizers. The riot police presence raised immediate questions about security for next summer. The USWNT now enters an international hiatus before facing El Salvador on Nov. 27 in the CONCACAF W Championship, a qualifying lead-up to that same tournament, Yahoo Sports reported.
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