Brazilian Cup First Round: Maranhao 0-1 Ceara In a tightly contested Brazilian Cup first-round tie on March 13, 2026, Ceara secured a narrow but valuable 1-0 away victory over Maranhao. A solitary goal from a well-worked team move in the first half was enough to separate the sides, booking Ceara's place in the next round and ending Maranhao's cup hopes early. The match, played in humid conditions, saw Ceara assert their higher-division status early, dominating possession and looking dangerous on the break. The breakthrough came in the 32nd minute when Ceara's right-winger cut inside and played a precise through ball for the striker, who finished calmly past the onrushing keeper. Maranhao fought valiantly, growing in confidence in the second half and creating several half-chances, but they lacked the final touch to truly test Ceara's experienced goalkeeper. The home side's best opportunity came from a curling free-kick that rattled the crossbar, a moment that summed up their frustrating evening. Ceara's defense, marshaled by their captain, held firm under late pressure to see out the clean sheet. The focus point was Maranhao's disallowed goal in the 65th minute for a marginal offside call, a decision that infuriated the home bench and crowd but was upheld after a brief VAR check. Ceara's midfield anchor put in a standout performance, breaking up play and distributing the ball efficiently to control the game's rhythm. For Maranhao, their young goalkeeper made several key saves to keep the deficit at one, earning plaudits despite the loss. The result sees Ceara advance in the competition, a welcome boost as they build momentum for their state championship and Serie B campaign. Maranhao's manager praised his team's effort, saying, "We matched them for large parts and were unlucky. The details decided it." The Ceara coach was relieved, commenting, "It's never easy away in the cup. We got the job done, which is the most important thing."