América‑RN and Uberlândia Secure Wins in Série D Oitavas de Final

América‑RN defeated Gama 1‑0 at the Arena das Dunas in Natal, giving the club a one‑goal advantage ahead of the second‑leg tie in Brasília on 26 July. The winning goal came from Luiz Thiago in first‑half injury time, exploiting a goalkeeper error.

In Uberlândia, the Verdão beat Portuguesa 2‑0 at the Parque do Sabiá, with Jhonatan Lima scoring in the 16th minute and Léo Reis adding a second in the second half. The victory puts Uberlândia in a strong position for the return match on 25 July in São Paulo.

Other teams that secured first‑leg wins in the Série D “ZeroUm” round include São José‑RS (2‑1 over Treze), ASA‑AL (1‑0 over Cianorte), and Goiatuba‑GO (3‑0 over Ferroviário). All eight matches were broadcast live by Metrópoles Esportes on YouTube.

Coaches highlighted the importance of protecting the advantage: América‑RN’s Ranielle Ribeiro stressed that a draw in the second leg would be enough to progress, while Uberlândia’s staff emphasized the need to maintain pressure in the return leg. The quarter‑finals will determine the clubs promoted to Série C for 2027.