JEGUE DA CHAPADA
Team debuts next Saturday (11) against Porto Sport Club, in Porto Seguro
Published on January 7, 2025 at 03:00
Jacobina players training during pre-season Credit: Disclosure
Among the beauties of Chapada Diamantina, Jacobina is preparing for its eighth participation in the Bahia Championship. Runner-up in Series B in 2023, “Jegue da Chapada” made a recovery campaign after a bad start last year. After escaping relegation, the club seeks to reach a new level on the state scene in 2025. Their debut in the competition will be next Saturday (11), against Porto Sport Club, in Porto Seguro.
Last season started negatively for Jacobina. In addition to adding just one point in the first three games in the state, the team suffered two defeats by Bahia de Feira and Bahia, 6×1 and 5×0 respectively. Even so, the club reversed its situation in the competition, suffering just one defeat in the next six games and ensuring its permanence in the state elite. During the period, ‘Jegue’ won two games as a visitor and drew with Vitória at home.
“The first year after returning to the elite is always the most difficult. We had a permanent championship and managed to achieve our goal. Although we had a bad start, we corrected our course throughout the competition. However, there were some planning errors that needed to be adjusted while the car was moving”, said football director Rafael Damasceno.
Only five players from the squad remained in 2025: goalkeeper Nilton, defender Anderson Bandeira, full-back Gabriel Nereia and attackers Vini Alemão and Bruno Nunes, who played for teams such as Juventude, Amazonas and Mirassol. Among those hired are midfielder Gabriel Soares and striker Ruan Costa, revealed by Vitória.
“The planning for this year was carefully thought out, taking into account last year’s mistakes. We carried out a complete assessment of the squad and coaching staff and, from there, we opted for strategic changes. We renewed part of the team, maintained the starting base and mapped the national market in search of reinforcements to strengthen the group and give the team a new look”, continued Rafael.
The base team for the championship is made up of: Nilton, Roni, Bandeira, Hugo; Nereia, Bruno Henrique, Gabriel Soares, Zeca and Marquinho; Bruno Nunes and Ruan Costa. During preparation, the Jacobin team played two friendlies against the teams of Capim Grosso, losing 2×1, and Várzea da Roça, winning 5×0.
“The performance was satisfactory. Although we had one victory and one defeat, we were able to implement the new coach’s ideas and observe the team’s behavior in game situations. The defeat gave us important lessons, which served to correct what still needs to be adjusted”, said Rafael.
In addition to the reinforcements, Jegue will also have the support of its fans this season. The team has not been defeated at the José Rocha Stadium in 2024, with one win and three draws. One of the games was a 0-0 draw against Vitória, in which goalkeeper Nilton saved a penalty from striker Alerrandro.
“The connection with the fans is one of our main strengths because they always provide us with fundamental support in games. We also have a united group on the field and we have a modern technical committee, with innovative thinking and focused on working with dedication and the desire to win. This alignment between players, committee and fans creates a positive energy that strengthens the team in search of great results this season”, exalts the director.
After remaining in the state elite last year, Rafael hopes that Jacobina will reach higher heights next year. “We are focused on being among the top four in the championship, which will guarantee us a place in Series D and the Copa do Brasil. This is our main objective, and we are working to achieve these goals and strengthen JEC at the state, regional and national level”, he concluded.
Check out Jacobina’s table at Baianão 2025:
1st round – Porto x Jacobina – 01/11 (Saturday) at 9pm
2nd round – Jacobina x Jacuipense – 01/16 (Thursday) at 7:15 pm
3rd round – Jacobina x Bahia – 01/19 (Sunday) at 6:30 pm
4th round – Barcelona de Ilhéus x Jacobina – (to be defined)
5th round – Vitória x Jacobina – (to be defined)
6th round – Jacobina x Juazeirense – (to be defined)
7th round – Jequié x Jacobina – (to be defined)
8th round – Jacobina x Atlético – (to be defined)
9th round – Colo Colo x Jacobina – (to be defined)
*With guidance from editor Miro Palma
