In anticipation, Afogados wins Pernambuco Series A2. It fell and rose in 2023!

Vianão received 1,200 fans, with a party on the lawn at the end. Image: FPF/reproduction.

With a hat-trick from Diego Ceará, Afogados beat Vera Cruz 3 x 1 and won the https://twitter.com/fpfpe/status/1721289644094947366 in advance. In a consecutive points model, with 12 clubs, the owl reached 9 wins and 1 draw in ten rounds in the 2023 Series A2. With 28 points, they opened 4 over Flamengo de Arcoverde, who were the only competitor in this final stretch. Thus, the game against 1º de Maio, in Petrolina, became just a day to celebrate the first official achievement of the club based in Afogados da Ingazeira, which completes a decade of foundation on December 18th.

The curious thing is that Afogados started the season in Series A1, where they had already been present for seven years, since becoming runner-up in Series A2 in 2016. It turns out that the club did very poorly this season, placing 11th out of 13 participants. With 2V, 5E and 5D, he ended up relegated. However, a rule implemented by the FPF two years ago allowed the return in 2023.

The loophole for immediate return

In the current access/relegation system in the Pernambucano Championship, teams relegated from Series A1, which takes place in the first half of the year, can compete in Series A2 in the same year, as the tournament always takes place in the second half of the year – the idea tries to prevent inactivity due to one and a half year. Thus, the turnaround was very quick, with Afogados going for the 8th consecutive year in the local elite, including campaigns in the Copa do Brasil and Série D, also having a participation in the local championship in the same period.

Regarding the first division of 2024, the PE list has finally been closed. Instead of 13 clubs, there will only be 10, in a downsizing that ended up generating just one access on the A2. The dispute formula will still be discussed by the FPF, probably in November.

Afogados’ starting team in the title game
Cris; Felipe Pacjus, Michel, Heverton and Weslley; Kiko, Dark, Paulista; Felipe Eduardo, Elias and Diego Ceará. Coach: Pedro Manta

The ranking of titles in Series A2

1st) 4 times – Vera Cruz (2006, 2009, 2014 and 2020)
2nd) 3 times – Petrolina (2001, 2010 and 2018)
3rd) 2 times – Vitória (2008 and 2013), Flamengo de Arcoverde (1996 and 2016) and Central (1999 and 2022)
6th) 1 time – Maguary (1977), Sete de Setembro (1995), Ferroviário de Serra Talhada (1997), Unibol (1998), AGA (2000), Itacuruba (2002), Porto (2003), Ypiranga (2004), Estudantes (2005) , Salgueiro (2007), Serra Talhada (2011), Chã Grande (2012), Belo Jardim (2015), Pesqueira (2017), Dedições (2019), Caruaru City (2021) and Afogados (2023)

The 10 participants of the 2024 Series A1

Sport (A1 champion), Retrô (vice), Petrolina (3rd), Salgueiro (4th), Náutico (5th), Santa Cruz (6th), Central (7th), Porto (8th), Maguary (9th) and Afogados ( A2 champion)

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Afogados built the CT supported by classification against Atlético-MG

Below, watch Diego Ceará’s third goal on Sunday, defining the country’s victory.