Juventude edged past Goyás 1-0 at Estadio Ayl Pinaeyru on Wednesday night, securing all three points in Serie B's Regular Season round 23. The visitors held firm after Fabio Lima's 88th-minute goal, ending a run that saw Goyás lose their last outing 1-0 to Cracouma. The result tightens the gap between the sides, with Juventude now sitting 10 points clear at second place.
Goyás came out strong, pressing forward early and earning a corner within the first ten minutes. They dominated possession at 53 per cent and launched 107 attacks, but could not break through. The hosts picked up a booking through Aderlan in the 13th minute, while Luisao went off the referee's radar for Juventude just before half-time. By then the visitors had already set up shop, content to absorb pressure and look for openings.
The decisive moment arrived deep into stoppage time. Lima finished from close range in the 88th minute, capitalising on a chance that Goyás simply failed to create throughout the match. The hosts made a flurry of changes in the second half — three at the break, then three more around the hour mark — trying to find a way back into the game. Nicolas and Kadu came on together in the 70th minute, but it was too little, too late. Juventude held their shape and saw out the final minutes without incident.
The statistics tell a story of efficiency versus volume. Goyás registered 11 shots with five on target and an expected goals figure of 0.62, yet produced zero big chances. Juventude managed just seven attempts, two on target, but their expected goals stood at 1.01, reflecting that single moment of quality. The visitors also made more progress into the final third with 86 passes compared to Goyás's 104, and created one clear opportunity versus none.
What this means in practice is straightforward. Juventude extend their unbeaten run to four matches — drawing with Fortaleza and Atlético Mineiro, beating Nova Rizonzinho, and now picking up a narrow win here. Goyás drop further from the playoff places, their 12th-place standing now looking increasingly precarious with only nine points separating them from the top four. The gap between second and twelfth may still close, but tonight's result suggests the table is settling into something real.