A moment of pure joy turned into an awkward mishap for Coritiba defender Jacy Maranhao, who tumbled down a stadium tunnel while celebrating what he thought was a goal during his side's Brazilian top-flight clash with Chapecoense.
The 29-year-old centre-back headed home to put Coritiba 1-0 ahead in the 41st minute at the Couto Pereira Stadium in Curitiba. Overcome with excitement at a rare goal-scoring moment for a defender, Jacy sprinted toward the supporters and leapt over the advertising boards lining the pitch. What followed was less triumphant than he intended, as he vanished down an opening that led directly to the away team's dressing room.
Jacy managed to climb back out of the tunnel, but not before twisting his ankle in the process. The injury proved serious enough that he was withdrawn from the match shortly after the interval, unable to continue.
Adding to the frustration, the goal that sparked his celebration was subsequently ruled out following a VAR review, meaning his ill-fated leap ultimately counted for nothing on the scoreboard. Despite the setback, Coritiba went on to secure a 2-1 victory over Chapecoense.
Speaking after the match, Jacy played down the incident with a touch of humor while acknowledging the discomfort it caused him. "I twisted my foot there. It's a bit sore, but I'm fine," he said. Reflecting on why he reacted so dramatically, he explained his enthusiasm got the better of him. "Centre-backs hardly ever score goals. So when you do score ... I just got carried away."
The episode has drawn attention not only for its comic timing but also because it is not an isolated case at the venue. The Couto Pereira Stadium has something of a history with this particular hazard. Back in 2014, Cameroonian forward Joel suffered a similar fate when he jumped over the barriers in celebration during Coritiba's 3-1 win against Sao Paulo, only to fall into the same passageway.
The recurring nature of the incident has raised questions about the stadium's layout, with the tunnel entrance seemingly positioned in a spot that proves tempting - and dangerous - for players celebrating close to the crowd. While no long-term structural changes have been reported following either incident, the repeated mishap has become something of a quirky footnote in the stadium's history.
For Jacy, the moment will likely be remembered less for the disallowed goal and more for the unintended detour it produced. Defenders scoring goals is rare enough to warrant celebration, and his reaction - however costly - reflected the genuine excitement of a player stepping outside his usual defensive duties to contribute at the other end of the pitch.
Coritiba's win keeps them competitive in the Brazilian top flight, though the headlines from this particular fixture will likely focus more on the tunnel incident than the final result. Jacy's ankle injury forced an early end to his afternoon, but his post-match comments suggested there were no lasting hard feelings about the tumble, only a wry acknowledgment of how easily emotion can take over in the heat of competition.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.