São Paulo FC secured their spot as the top seed for the knockout stage of the Campeonato Paulista after defeating São Bernardo Futebol Clube 3-1 on Sunday, February 23, 2025.
The match took place at the Estádio Primeiro de Maio, São Bernardo do Campo, and commenced at 18:30 (local time). Both teams had already clinched their place in the quarter-finals, but the Tricolor needed this win to guarantee home advantage moving forward.
São Paulo started the match with strong intent. Just ten minutes after kickoff, the squad showed early promise, testing São Bernardo's defense vigorously. It wasn't long before André Silva uncovered the net. At the 19-minute mark, he scored, taking advantage of some fine teamwork involving Cédric and Oscar.
Silva wasn't done yet; he added another goal at the 31-minute mark, demonstrating São Paulo's dominance. With the Tricolor leading 2-0 at halftime, they controlled the pace and flow of the match. Nevertheless, worries began to surface as Pablo Maia suffered an injury just before the half, requiring management's attention.
The second half kicked off with São Bernardo determined to reduce the deficit. That effort paid off with them drawing closer to 2-1 after being awarded a penalty kick. At the 53rd minute, Fabrício Daniel successfully executed the penalty, taking advantage of the opportunity created from Cédric’s foul.
Even with the pressure from São Bernardo, São Paulo managed to maintain composure. Rafael, São Paulo's goalkeeper, intervened during key moments to keep his team up by one. While André Silva's potential third goal was disallowed for offside—a decision reviewed by VAR—São Paulo did extend their lead shortly before the game's close.
It was Arboleda who stepped up, scoring the third goal to cement the 3-1 final score. He capitalized on defensive mistakes from São Bernardo, showcasing São Paulo's offensive strength.
With this victory, São Paulo finishes the group stage with 16 points, securing their leadership over Group C, just one point above Novorizontino. Meanwhile, São Bernardo concluded their group campaign with 23 points, leading Group D.
Coaching both teams were Luis Zubeldía for São Paulo and Ricardo Catalá for São Bernardo. Zubeldía expressed relief and optimism following the game, stating, "O time de Zubeldía precisava da vitória para se assegurar na liderança do grupo C e conseguir o mando das quartas de final."
Going forward, São Paulo will be tackling Novorizontino, whereas São Bernardo put themselves on the path to meet another tough competitor. Both teams head confidently toward the quarter-finals, with the championship aspirations intact.