Soccer

Watch: Chapecoense scores emotional goal in 1st game since plane crash

As the whole world watches, Chapecoense continues to pick up the pieces and rebuild.

On Saturday, exactly 54 days after a plane crash killed most of Chapecoense’s squad, the Verdao played its first fixture since the tragedy, drawing Palmeiras 2-2 in a friendly at Arena Conda.

Of the 26 players named to Chapecoense’s squad, 22 were new faces, while the four others were footballers from last year’s squad who fortunately didn’t board LaMia Flight 2933. To fill the spots in the Verdao’s first team, footballers were brought in from other clubs and promoted from the youth team.

Before the friendly kicked off, the three players to survive the plane crash took the pitch and, in an emotional scene, lifted the Copa Sudamericana trophy. It was en route to the first leg of the final in Medellin, Colombia that the tragedy unfolded, and Atletico Nacional requested to CONMEBOL that Chapecoense be crowned champion of the tournament. South American football’s governing body obliged.

Neto is miraculously walking without crutches, Alan Ruschel required spine surgery, and Jackson Follman had part of his right leg amputated. The plane crash claimed the lives of 71 people, including 19 members of Chapecoense’s squad and 20 journalists joining the club for what was set to be the biggest match in its 43-year history.

Once the friendly got underway, Palmeiras, joined by a substantial number of travelling supporters, opened the scoring in the 11th minute. However, three minutes later, Chapecoense equalised, as Grolli scored the Verdao’s first goal since the plane crash, giving the club and its fans something to celebrate for the first time since Nov. 28.

In the second half, it took Chapecoense all of 58 seconds to go ahead. Amaral, who coincidentally joined the Verdao on loan from Palmeiras, got his head to a cross and put another smile on the faces of supporters at Arena Conda.

Palmeiras produced an equaliser before the final whistle, but the most notable occurrence from the second half came in 71st minute, when the friendly was stopped so both teams and supporters could honour the 71 victims of the plane crash.

Chapecoense’s first competitive fixture is scheduled for Thursday, when the Verdao will take on Joinville in Santa Catarina, Brazil’s state championship.