Less than six months after the plane crash that killed 19 of Chapecoense football club’s players and staff, the team have won the Santa Catarina state championship.
After just three of their travelling squad survived the plane tragedy that killed 71 of the 77 passengers on the flight, the club signed 25 new players and promoted nine from the youth team.
Those circumstances make the team’s Santa Catarina state championship success seem all the more incredible.
ÉÉÉ CAAAAAAMPEÃOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ??????
A Chapecoense é BiCampeã Catarinense!!!
1977 – 1996 – 2007 – 2011 – 2016 – 2017#VamosChape #Flechamos pic.twitter.com/CWd4AFDuai— Chapecoense (@ChapecoenseReal) May 7, 2017
A 1-0 defeat in the second leg of the final against Avai did not prevent Chapecoense winning the title, with their 1-0 win in the first leg ensuring victory due to a better season record.Leandro Silva’s first-half goal won the second leg for Avai, but was not enough to seal the title.This is the sixth time Chapecoense have won the tournament in their history, with the competition finishing as the Brazilian Serie A is about to begin.
Congratulations, @ChapecoenseReal! ??#VamosChape pic.twitter.com/hzyZLAMSVO
— Bundesliga English (@Bundesliga_EN) May 8, 2017
Chapecoense also have the second leg of the Recopa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional to play on Thursday, offering the chance for another title – the Brazilian team lead 2-1 after their first-leg win.
