Ponte Preta Stuns São Paulo, Shakes Up Paulista Playoff Race

Ponte Preta shocked São Paulo with a 2-1 comeback victory on Wednesday at Morumbis, as reported by ge.globo.com, in the Campeonato Paulista’s penultimate group stage round.

Jonathan Calleri gave São Paulo the lead before halftime. Artur and Éverton Brito struck back for Ponte Preta, securing their fifth straight unbeaten match.

São Paulo, already qualified for the knockouts, missed locking in the Group C top spot, staying just one point ahead of Novorizontino with 16 points. Ponte Preta’s win boosted them to 19 points in Group D, five clear of Palmeiras, who face Botafogo-SP on Thursday at Allianz Parque.

This result tightens the playoff race significantly. The first half saw São Paulo create chances. Enzo Díaz set up Bobadilla at eight minutes, and Oscar’s shot skimmed the post.

Later, Díaz’s free kick found Alan Franco, whose header forced a sharp save from Diogo Silva. Calleri nodded in Oscar’s corner at 44 minutes, giving São Paulo a 1-0 edge. Ponte Preta flipped the script after the break.

Four minutes into the second half, Jean’s cross led to Arboleda’s miscue, and Artur tapped in to level it at 1-1. At 60 minutes, Léo Oliveira’s pass reached Artur, whose weak shot fell to Éverton Brito, who slotted past Rafael for a 2-1 lead.

São Paulo’s Slump Continues as Tournament Stakes Rise

São Paulo pushed back, bringing on Erick, Wendell, André Silva, and Sabino. Their best chance came at 34 minutes when Oscar’s corner met Franco’s head again, but the effort went wide.

The 22,138 fans watched São Paulo slump to a fifth consecutive winless game, grossing R$853,044 in ticket sales. This Sunday at 18:30 (Brasília time), São Paulo visit São Bernardo at Primeiro de Maio stadium to close their group stage.

Ponte Preta host Red Bull Bragantino in Campinas simultaneously, aiming to cement their quarterfinal spot. Palmeiras, now under pressure, must win both remaining matches to advance.

The match exposed São Paulo’s struggles despite early dominance, while Ponte Preta’s resilience keeps their playoff hopes alive. Businesses eyeing the Paulista’s competitive stakes note how this upset reshapes the tournament’s financial and strategic landscape.

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