Maringá FC triumphed over Coritiba with a 2-0 victory during the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Campeonato Paranaense, held on Saturday at the Willie Davids Stadium. This much-anticipated matchup drew 5,223 fans, who witnessed Maringá's strong performance against their longstanding rivals.
From the outset, it was clear this clash was going to be intense. The match unfolded with both teams displaying aggressive play, but the pivotal moment came when Coritiba's Filipe Machado received his red card after committing a foul on Rodrigo at the 35-minute mark, leaving his team down to ten players.
While Coritiba struggled to maintain their footing after the dismissal, Maringá seized the opportunity and made their mark. The breakthrough came just shortly after the second half commenced. Max Miller, who had proved to be the star of the match, scored the first goal by capitalizing on a rebound after his initial header hit the crossbar. The crowd erupted as he put his team up 1-0 just minutes after the restart.
But Maringá wasn’t done yet. They extended their lead to 2-0 at the 38th minute, with Miller once again finding the back of the net off another set-piece situation. This left Coritiba with little room for error as they now needed to overcome not only the two-goal deficit but also the constraints of having one less player on the field.
With the loss, Coritiba faces great pressure going forward. They must win by at least two goals during the second leg scheduled for March 9 at Couto Pereira to push the match to penalties. Should they manage to pull off a victory by three or more goals, they would advance directly to the semifinal. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Coritiba has had contrasting fortunes this season. They entered this match amid challenges, including missing key players such as Maicon and Bruno Melo due to injuries. The tactical setup, featuring new signings like Tiago Cóser and Gustavo Coutinho, aimed to solidify the team's defense and bolster their attack, but they fell short against Maringá's dedicated play.
Meanwhile, Maringá’s win not only advances them closer to the semifinals but also boosts their confidence significantly as they aim for not just state glory but also spots for the 2026 Copa do Brasil, which will be awarded to the semifinalists. The victory is also historically significant; Maringá and Coritiba have faced each other 17 times, with recent encounters often resulting in tightly contested matches.
The narrative of this rivalry adds another layer of intensity to their upcoming matchup. Given their past finals and semifinals—a notable highlight being the 2022 finals where Coritiba claimed the title—this current season’s encounter is also steeped in history. The question now looms over the second leg: Can Coritiba regroup and secure the necessary win, or will Maringá maintain their momentum and progress to the semifinal?
Fans of both clubs are gearing up for what promises to be another electrifying chapter in this storied rivalry as they await the rematch.