The Brazilian Série A finally came back this weekend, following the long and contentious state championships era that begins every new year. Standing at the top of the table of the first division following one weekend’s worth of action is Esporte Club Bahia, who walloped Atletico Paranaense by the score of 6 to 2 on Sunday. That scoreline was particularly fitting on the day, as Bahia had invited six pregnant fans to the field before the game in honor of Mother’s Day.
The “Tricolor Moms,” as the club’s English Twitter account dubbed them, were being honored as part of celebrations for Bahia’s first game in the top division of Brazilian soccer in two years. They had been relegated to the Série B following the 2014 season, but after finishing in 4th–the last qualifying spot for promotion–last season, they are back with the big boys of Brazilian soccer.
Led by a brace from Régis, the Baiano club made sure to give their soon-to-be moms a special treat, as they scored five goals in the last 12 minutes of the first half–four in a 7 minute stretch right at the end of the first 45–before tacking on the sixth in the 72nd minute through Edson–”one goal for each belly,” as the club’s social media account put it. Speaking of the “bellies,” each of the moms had their future offspring’s names written in marker on their stomachs–Guiliana, Sophia, Maria Alice, Joao, Isabela, and Lucca.
Now, we’re not saying that honoring the moms led to their massive victory to start the campaign, but we’re also not saying that it didn’t. What’s clear is that the club did right by their pregnant fans, giving them each a gift of their own, and now they look down on the rest of the Série A table. Not a bad return to the top flight.