Women's side wrap up preparations to face the United States on Saturday

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Women's side wrap up preparations to face the United States on Saturday

The Brazilian Women’s National Team is ready for another major challenge. On Friday afternoon (5), the squad led by Arthur Elias wrapped up preparations for the first friendly against the United States, scheduled for this Saturday (6) at 6:30 p.m. at Neo Química Arena.

The final session was devoted to the team’s last adjustments. On the field, the coaching staff used the training session to go over the game plan, align strategies, and reinforce tactical details for the clash against the Americans.

The match marks another chapter in a rivalry that has become frequent since Arthur Elias took charge of the national team. Since September 2023, Brazil and the United States have faced each other four times.

The Americans won the Gold Cup final and the Paris Olympic Games final, both by 1-0. In the friendlies played on U.S. soil, the United States won the first match 2-0, but Brazil responded in the second game and secured a historic 2-1 comeback victory.

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Marta trains with the national team on the eve of the friendlyCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF

In Arthur Elias’s assessment, despite the different results, the matches each had their own characteristics and showed the high level of both teams.

“In the Gold Cup final, which was the first game since I took over, we had two balanced halves. I didn’t feel there was any significant drop-off in the second half. In the Olympic final, I thought we were better in the first half. In the second, the United States played better, although we still created important chances. In the third game, we had an excellent first half. Then, especially after conceding the second goal, we had a very poor second half and the United States were superior. In the last meeting, the opposite happened. I think we played well throughout the match, but our second half was especially strong, with clear superiority,” the coach analyzed.

Arthur Elias stressed that each match told a different story, but highlighted the growing balance in the meetings between the teams.

“When two great national teams face each other, with excellent players, that can happen. The important thing is that the level of the games has been very high.”

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Arthur Elias speaks about the final adjustments before the match at a press conferenceCredits: Lívia Villas Boas/Staff Images/CBF

Beyond the importance of the result, the match is part of the Brazilian team’s preparation for the 2027 World Cup, which will be held in Brazil. The coaching staff sees the friendlies as a valuable opportunity to measure the team’s progress against one of the main powers in women’s football worldwide.

After the match in São Paulo, the teams will face each other again next Tuesday (9) at 9:30 p.m. at Arena Castelão in Fortaleza. With little time between the games, Arthur Elias is already anticipating the need for balance in managing the squad.

“We will have very little time between one game and the next. Practically just one training day. And on that day, 48 hours after the match, many players will still be recovering. So balance will be essential. Not only strategically, but also in terms of minutes and everything we do with both matches in mind. That will be decisive for the second game. We’re going to put a lot into this first match and define many things after it.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in here.

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