SAO PAULO (Interstat) — Cassia scored in the 52nd minute and Bahia W made the goal stand Wednesday, defeating Sao Paulo W 1-0 in a women’s football match. The goal came after a scoreless first half in which both sides traded fouls and struggled to create clear chances. Bahia W protected the lead through the second half and held on as the match became increasingly physical. Sao Paulo W pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer, but Bahia W kept its shape and defended the narrow advantage to the final whistle. The visitors’ goal remained the difference in a tight contest.

Cassia provided the game’s decisive moment with her 52nd-minute finish, the only goal of the contest. The strike broke a tight defensive struggle and gave Bahia W the advantage it needed. Sao Paulo W tried to respond after falling behind, making three substitutions in the 55th and 56th minutes as it sought fresh legs in midfield and attack. Isa entered first, followed by Karla Alves and Mylena Carioca. The changes gave Sao Paulo W more energy, but clear chances remained difficult to find against a Bahia W side content to protect its lead. Bahia W dropped deeper and invited pressure, then cleared several balls away from its penalty area as Sao Paulo W searched for a way back into the match.

Bahia W tightened its grip on the match with substitutions of its own in the 66th minute, when Sena Taty and Roqueline came on. Sao Paulo W also made a change in that minute, bringing on Carol Gil. Bahia W later replaced Raquel in the 72nd minute and made two more changes in the 84th minute, with Rosa W. and Gomez A. entering. Sao Paulo W brought on Rafa Soares in the 75th minute. As the second half wore on, the match was interrupted repeatedly by fouls and stoppages, and Sao Paulo W could not turn its possession into a tying goal. Bahia W’s back line held firm, and the visitors defended their one-goal edge with discipline through the closing stages.

The match grew chippy as Sao Paulo W pressed for an equalizer. Sena Taty was booked in the 29th minute, Robinha in the 54th, Raquel in the 65th, Gomez A. in the 78th, Crivelari in the 86th, Ana Julia in the 88th, Yanne in the third minute of stoppage time and Dan in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Bahia W finished with six yellow cards, while Sao Paulo W had two. The late bookings underscored the intensity of a game that remained in the balance until the final whistle. Sao Paulo W kept probing for a late breakthrough, but Bahia W dealt with the pressure and closed out the shutout.

The result moved Bahia W to two wins and no losses in the competition and three wins, no losses and one draw across all competitions. Sao Paulo W fell to no wins and two losses in the competition and no wins and two losses across all competitions. Bahia W had won the previous meeting between the teams 2-1 earlier this season and remained unbeaten in its recent run, which also included a 5-0 win over Jacuipense W and a 2-2 draw with Jacobina W. Sao Paulo W has lost both of its matches this season. Bahia W next hosts Jacobina W.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Bahia W 3, Sao Paulo W 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Bahia W with a 78.4 percent probability to win. Sao Paulo W had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5.