Ceará secured a 2:1 victory over Londrina at the Estádio Presidente Vargas on Saturday evening, moving further clear of the relegation zone in Série B's regular season. The result leaves the hosts on 28 points from 25 matches, while the visitors remain rooted to 18th place on 22 points. By then, both sides had already weathered a difficult run of form heading into this fixture.
Joao Vitor put Ceará ahead inside the opening quarter with a penalty in the fourth minute, and Gabriel Rocha doubled the lead just before half-time with a goal in the 40th. To be fair, the visitors responded with genuine pressure after the break, and Luiz Otavio's strike in the 62nd minute threatened to change the complexion of the match entirely.
And here's the thing about this one — Ceará did not travel to make up the numbers, but they also did not need to. The hosts turned to the kids when the momentum shifted, bringing on Savio and Vitinho Mota early in the second half to steady proceedings. Londrina pushed forward, but the home defence held firm through clearances and tackles when it mattered most.
The statistics tell a story that does not quite match the final score. Londrina registered 1.24 expected goals compared to Ceará's 0.65, yet the visitors managed only four shots on target from 33 attempts. Ceará came closer to breaking through with five shots on target, though their conversion rate of 38 per cent was not enough to create a comfortable cushion.
What this result means is simple. Ceará extend their margin over the drop zone to six points, while Londrina's gap from safety sits at four points after 25 rounds. The hosts had lost three of their previous five matches, but this win gives them breathing room in a season that has been unforgiving.