Athletico Paranaense U20 beat Picos U20 4-1 on the first matchday in the 2023 edition of the Copinha. Athletico Paranaense looked very impressive in the first half, going into half-time with a 4-0 score, but lost concentration in the second half after a lot of substitutions. They set up in a fluid 4-4-2 and always found space in behind Picos’ defence as they were trying to put pressure high up the pitch. This was mainly exploited through Felipe Chiqueti, who assisted one goal and scored two goals, while also winning a penalty. In the end, I am interested to see the Brazilians in the next match but their defence and goalkeeper looked shaky at times.
Youth Ratings
1 – Ready for the first team
2 – Good, potential to be first team
3 – Decent, could make first team squad
4 – Decent potential, unlikely to make it to first team
5 – Unlikely to make first team
Felipe Chiqueti
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Age: 17
- Date of birth: 02/09/2005
- Club: Athletico Paranaense
- Career: Athletico Paranaense
- Position: Striker
- Preferred foot: Left
Felipe Chiqueti played as a left striker in Athletico Paranaense’s 4-4-2, forming a partnership with the physically strong Renan Viana. They were really complementary with each other, as Renan Viana had decent hold-up play while Felipe Chiqueti consistently exploited the space in behind. The striker had really good movement in the box, using his good speed to surprise the opponent but also just positioning himself smartly between the defenders. Chiqueti, despite being very small at approximately 1.70 meters, scored a header from close range after Juninho put in a great cross. His heading ability looked really good. The Brazilian youngster showed great speed over short and long distances, despite being small. Felipe Chiqueti outpaced all defenders and Renan Viana to get to the ball first for the 1-0. His first touch was bad and the ball almost went over the byline, but due to his good balance (he had to jump over the goalkeeper) and speed he managed to keep the ball in play and he delivered a great cross to Renan Viana who scored from close range.
The striker timed his runs in behind pretty well, consistently getting into space and showing a great burst of speed. Felipe Chiqueti looked very confident and composed in the final third. He made a good run in behind and cut away from both the defender and goalkeeper before putting the ball in the back of the net. The young Brazilian also showed his ability in the small spaces, showing great ball control and technique to flick the ball over the opponent. Chiqueti also showed a lot of intelligence in the box, going to the ground after feeling a connection, winning a penalty in the process. The striker was never going to get to the ball, so this was the smartest option. The only weaknesses I spotted during this match was his lack of involvement in the second half and his lack of aerial ability because of his height.
Rating – 2
I think that Felipe Chiqueti could get a chance in the first team during the state championships, but a regular place in the squad during the Serie A is probably one step too many at this point. He could be an interesting player for the likes of Benfica, Porto and Ajax but I need to see more of him.
Wellington Silva
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Age: 18
- Date of birth: 04/01/2005
- Club: Athletico Paranaense
- Career: Athletico Paranaense
- Position: Right-Back
- Preferred foot: Right
Wellington Silva played as Athletico Paranaense’s right-back in this game but was subbed off at half-time because of an injury. Wellington’s first touch of the game was a bad one, but after that moment he showed a lot of positive signs. As the opponents tried to put high pressure on Athletico Paranaense’s defence, Wellington Silva received the ball under pressure very often. The defender did well to compose himself under pressure and played some very good first-time passes into the midfield or even the attack. In other situations, he did well to stall his actions which led to the opponent guessing where he would go. This allowed Wellington Silva space and time to carry the ball inside and play out of Picos’ pressure. Generally, Wellington Silva impressed under pressure and showed really good skills in the first phase of the build-up. His passing with both feet was secure and consistent.
The Brazilian full-back looked pretty small (~1.70m) and had a slim build, but this did not mean that he was slow over long distances. He displayed decent speed over long distances and had good bursts of speed. The downside of his small frame was that he misjudged an aerial pass which led to a chance for Picos. Wellington Silva showed good changes of direction which helped him to win attacking 1v1s. He made a few decent overlapping runs, putting in good crosses from the right. The full-back displayed a good crossing technique, striking the ball cleanly and finding a teammate. Defensively, Wellington Silva was not tested that often but he showed good aggressiveness high up the pitch to win back possession in good areas. His timing was off a few times, but he generally did well to get in front of his opponent at the right time. He does need to develop this skill though.
Rating – 3
45 minutes are not enough to decide on his potential but I think it looked really promising. I am excited to watch more of him in this tournament.
Other ratings of players:
- Renan Viana (ST, 31/01/2003) – 4 (scored two goals, did not look in shape but was quick, has good hold-up play and okay link-up play)
- Pierre (CM, 12/03/2002) – 4 (progressed the ball well but had a pretty low intensity, good passing technique and okay physicals)
- Juninho (LW, 29/03/2003) – 4 (had a great assist and showed decent athleticism but failed to really impress)