ITAITINGA, Ceará (Interstat) — Ceara U20 scored three goals and defeated Goias EC U20 3-1 in a football match Thursday at Cidade Vozão, remaining unbeaten in the competition and across all competitions this season. Ceara U20 was the home team, and Goias EC U20 was the visiting team. The home side controlled long stretches and turned its attacking chances into a decisive advantage. Goias EC U20 stayed within reach for much of the match but could not recover after conceding three times. Ceara U20 improved to 2 wins and 0 losses in the competition and 3 wins and 0 losses across all competitions. Goias EC U20 moved to 1 win and 1 loss in the competition and 1 win and 1 loss across all competitions.

Ceara U20 opened the scoring in the 25th minute, converting early pressure into the first goal of the match. The home side kept Goias EC U20 from settling after the goal and limited the visitors’ progress through midfield. Goias EC U20 entered the match after a win at Cruzeiro U20 earlier this season, but it struggled to create consistent chances before halftime. Ceara U20 carried its lead into the break and continued to press after the restart. The home team’s movement and possession helped it dictate the pace of the game. Goias EC U20 defended in numbers at times but could not keep Ceara U20 away from the final third.

The home side doubled its lead in the 63rd minute, giving itself more room to manage the match. Ceara U20 added a third goal in the 81st minute, which put the result firmly in its favor. Goias EC U20 responded with a goal in the 83rd minute, ending the shutout bid, but the visitors could not mount a full comeback in the closing minutes. Ceara U20 maintained its composure through the final stretch and closed out the victory at home. The visiting team pushed forward after its goal, but Ceara U20 kept the final margin intact.

Ceara U20’s season has included a 1-0 win against Ferroviario U20 and a 3-2 win at Fortaleza U20 earlier in the campaign. The club has now won each of its competition matches and each of its overall matches this season. Goias EC U20’s earlier result this season was a 2-1 win at Cruzeiro U20. The loss at Cidade Vozão left Goias EC U20 at .500 in the competition and across all competitions. Ceara U20 remained perfect in both categories after the final whistle. The result left Ceara U20 unbeaten and Goias EC U20 at .500.

The match at Cidade Vozão in Itaitinga, Ceará, was played in front of a home crowd that saw Ceara U20 produce the decisive attacking moments. The home team’s first goal came midway through the first half, and its second arrived after the hour mark. The third goal came nine minutes before regulation time was set to end, and Goias EC U20 answered two minutes later. The sequence left Goias EC U20 with too little time to find another goal. Ceara U20’s defense held firm after the visitors scored and protected the two-goal margin. The result continued Ceara U20’s unbeaten start in the competition and kept Goias EC U20 from building on its previous win. Ceara U20’s midfield helped slow Goias EC U20’s attempts to push numbers forward late. Goias EC U20 finished the match with one goal but could not extend the pressure.

Before kickoff, Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Ceara U20 1, Goias EC U20 1. Interstat’s ELO system gave Goias EC U20 a 52 percent probability to win. Ceara U20 had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 2.5.