Santa Cruz promoted to Serie B after draw against Maringá

Santa Cruz secured their promotion to the Brazilian Serie B after a 1-1 draw against Maringá, played at the Arena Pernambuco. The Pernambuco club thus returns to the national second division after a ten-year absence, according to several Brazilian media outlets.

An expected return

With this result, Santa Cruz reached 11 points in the second phase of the Serie C, which mathematically guarantees them a place in the Serie B for the 2027 season, reports Gazeta Esportiva. The club had left the top tier of the second division a decade ago, and this draw seals their return, highlight Placar and Metrópoles.

A point that is enough

The match counted towards the fifth round of the decisive phase of the Serie C, according to Terra. Thanks to this draw, Santa Cruz no longer needs any other draw to guarantee their place in the third division final, indicates Placar. The encounter took place on Saturday evening at the Arena Pernambuco, according to information from Terra and Metrópoles.

Consistent sources

All the cited media agree on the 1-1 score and Santa Cruz's qualification for Serie B. UOL Esporte, Metrópoles, Placar, Gazeta Esportiva and Terra confirm the event. Only the duration of the absence varies slightly between sources: Metrópoles and Placar mention ten years, while Terra mentions nine years. The club will still have to play the upcoming rounds of the competition to attempt to win the Serie C title.