Jacy Maranhao's Goal Celebration Mishap

There are goal celebrations, and then there is what happened to Jacy Maranhao.

The Coritiba defender, 29, thought he had written a rare headline for himself in the 41st minute against Chapecoense in Brazil’s top flight. A centre-back by trade, he rose in the box, met the cross, and headed Coritiba into what he believed was a 2-0 lead at the Couto Pereira Stadium.

Instinct took over. So did the adrenaline.

Jacy sprinted towards the home fans, hurdled the advertising boards in one fluid motion – and vanished.

On the other side of the hoardings sits a tunnel leading down to the away dressing room. Jacy found it the hard way, plunging into the gap and out of sight as team-mates and supporters briefly lost him from view. One second he was a goalscoring hero, the next he was a cautionary tale.

He eventually emerged, grimacing, climbing out carefully after twisting his ankle in the fall. The roar of celebration had already turned to a murmur of concern.

Then came the final twist.

VAR stepped in and ruled the goal out, erasing the moment that had sent Jacy flying over the boards in the first place. No goal, a sore ankle, and a clip destined to do the rounds for all the wrong reasons in a match Coritiba still went on to win 2-1.

By the time the second half began, the pain had caught up with him. Jacy lasted only a few minutes after the interval before Coritiba substituted him, unwilling to risk further damage.

“I twisted my foot there. It’s a bit sore, but I’m fine,” he said afterwards, downplaying the scare. Then came the line that summed it all up. “Centre-backs hardly ever score goals. So when you do score ... I just got carried away.”

Anyone who has watched a defender notch a rare strike knows exactly what he means. The timing, the noise, the release – it all hit at once. The problem, for Jacy, was what lay beyond the advertising boards.

And this was not a first for Couto Pereira.

Back in 2014, Cameroon striker Joel suffered almost the same fate in Coritiba’s 3-1 win over Sao Paulo, leaping the barriers in celebration and tumbling into the same passageway. A decade on, the stadium’s hidden drop has claimed another victim.

Coritiba will remember the three points. Jacy will remember the fall.

Next time he scores, the celebration might just stop on the safe side of the hoardings.