Boston Breakers sign Brazilian Duo
The Boston Breakers announced today the signing of Brazilian international forward Rafaela De Miranda Travalao (Rafinha) and midfielder Beatriz Vaz e Silva (Bia), pending receipt of their P-1 Visas and International Transfer Certificates (ITC). Per team and league policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.“I am happy to welcome Rafaela and Beatriz to the Boston Breakers. We are fortunate to have found two such dynamic players with championship pedigree,” Boston Breakers head coach Tom Durkin said. “They arrive from AFE (Associação Ferroviária de Esportes), Brazil’s most dominant women’s side over the past decade, as Brazilian champions.”
Rafinha, 26, and Bia, 29, are currently playing for Associação Ferroviária de Esportes (Ferroviária). In the Copa do Brasil, Ferroviária defeated Cruzeiro, 2-0 (6-2 on aggregate) earlier this week. Both players are expected to join the Breakers prior to the start of the 2015 season.
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As a member of Ferroviária, Rafinha won the 2014 Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino, beating Kindermann in the finals. She also captured the Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino, edging Sao Jose for the club’s first Copa do Brasil title. Rafinha started 10 of the 11 matches in which she appeared for Ferroviária, scoring five goals in 817 minutes of action.A native of Sao Paulo, Rafinha helped lead the Brazilian National Team to a third-place finish at the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia by scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over South Africa in the bronze-medal match. She also finished in third place with the national team at the 2013 Valais Women’s Cup, a two-day tournament, featuring China, Mexico and New Zealand.
In addition, Rafinha was a part of the national side that finished fifth at the 2008 U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Chile after qualifying by winning the South American Championship. Brazil posted a 7-0 record and outscored its opponents, 30-0, in the South American Championship. She also teamed up with current Breaker Ketlen Wiggers for Brazil at both tournaments. Rafinha made her debut with the senior national team in 2013.
As a member of Ferroviária, Bia scored one goal in 11 starts over 891 minutes in the 2013-14 season. Prior to joining Ferroviária, the native of Sao Paulo played two seasons for Foz Cataratas (2010-2012).
Bia played two years of college soccer at Southern Nazarene University (2009-2010). As a freshman, she scored eight goals and tallied 12 assists, and was named the 2009 All-Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Year and an honorable mention for NAIA Women’s Soccer All-America. As a sophomore, she was named a first team NAIA All-American.
Prior to college, Bia played for SABESP in 2006 and 2007. She made her club debut in 2004 for Santos, playing two seasons for the Sao Paulo-based team. During her club career, Bia won the Brazil National Tournament and Brazil Cup (2014), Sao Paulo State Tournament (2013), and Brazil Cup (2011).
“Bia was a mainstay in the national team for all of 2014 and brings experience along with a great passing game to our midfield,” Durkin said. “She should link our defense to the attack nicely and elevate our speed of play.”
With the Brazilian National Team, Bia won the South American Championship in 2009 and 2013. She also captured the Sao Paulo International Tournament. A member of the U-19 national team, she made her full national team debut in 2010.
Quotes courtesy of the NWSL
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