Corinthians blunt in attack, lose at home to Santos in Brasileirão | OneFootball

On the afternoon of this Sunday (30), Corinthians hosted Santos FC at Neo Química Arena in a match valid for the 25th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship and lost 1-0. With the result, the club from Parque São Jorge remains in 10th place with 32 points — eight wins, eight draws, and nine defeats — with 26 goals scored and 25 conceded.

The Corinthians coaching staff had the following absences for the match against the team from Baixada Santista: center-back André Ramalho (labyrinthitis), defensive midfielder André Luiz (recovering from a grade 2 muscle injury in his right thigh), midfielders Breno Bidon (serving a suspension) and André Carrillo (load management), attacking midfielders Vitinho (recovering from surgery on the meniscus in his left knee), Zakaria Labyad (surgery and recovery from a cruciate ligament and meniscus injury in his left knee) and Jesse Lingard (viral illness), as well as forwards KaykeFerrari (recovering from surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee) and Yuri Alberto (still being treated for a grade 2 injury in the hamstring of his right thigh; the intention is to have him at 100% for the Libertadores quarterfinals).

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

With that, coach Fernando Diniz named the following lineup to start the match: Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, Gabriel Paulista, Gustavo Henrique and Matheus Bidu; Raniele (Matheus Pereira), Allan (Pedro Raul) and Rodrigo Garro; Dieguinho (Gui Negão), Kaio César and Memphis Depay.

The substitutes available were: Kauê Camargo, João Pedro Tchoca, Iago Machado, Pedro Milans, Fabrizio Angileri, Hugo Farias, Charles, Alex Santana, Matheus Pereira, Luiz Fernando ‘Luizinho’, Gui Negão and Pedro Raul.

Santos lineup

Coach Cuca started the derby with: Gabriel Brazão; Igor Vinicius, Lucas Veríssimo, Luan Peres and Escobar; Willian Arão, Gustavo Henrique, Gabriel Bontempo and Barreal; Neymar and Gabriel Barbosa.

The substitutes were: Diógenes, Rony, Thaciano, Caballero, Moisés, João Ananias, Davizinho, Christian Oliva, Miguelito, Rollheiser, Rafael Gonzaga and Samuel Pierri.

Officiating

The referee was Wilton Pereira Sampaio (GO), assisted by Rafael da Silva Alves (RS) and Leone Carvalho Rocha (GO). The fourth official and VAR were, respectively, Luiz Augusto Silveira Tisne (SC) and Rodrigo D´Alonso Ferreira (SC).

Next match

Now, after hosting Santos in Itaquera, Corinthians will once again have a full week of training, but will remain focused on the Brazilian Championship. That is because next Sunday (6), at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), Timão will host Chapecoense, also at Neo Química Arena, for the 26th round of the national competition.

First half

The opening minutes of the match between Corinthians and Santos saw the Corinthians side pressing the opponent’s build-up. After almost a minute, Kaio César received the ball on the right wing and passed to Matheuzinho, who crossed, but defensive midfielder William Arão cleared it away. In the second minute, Dieguinho got the ball on the left wing, took on his marker, and was fouled.

From the set piece, Memphis Depay delivered poorly and Neymar cleared. In the fourth minute, Corinthians built from the back. Hugo Souza received from Matheuzinho, who played it to Gustavo Henrique. Number 13 passed to Raniele, who beat his marker and played a through ball to Dieguinho. Number 61, however, was dispossessed.

In the eighth minute, Corinthians made a mistake while playing out from the back through Allan and Gustavo Henrique. Bontempo won the ball and was denied by Hugo Souza. Midfielder Neymar took an outswinging corner from the right and the opposing player had his shot blocked. From the loose ball, Alvinegro launched a counterattack with Kaio César on the right wing, and he was fouled when brought down by Barreal.

After play resumed, Gustavo Henrique tried a long ball to the right for Kaio César, but it was overhit. In the 11th minute, Timão gave the ball away in midfield and Santos launched a counterattack with Gabriel Barbosa. Number 9 drove through the middle and played it to Neymar who, after returning it to the forward, saw his teammate hit a weak shot into Hugo Souza’s hands.

After 12 minutes, Gustavo Henrique struck a firm shot from outside the box close to Gabriel Brazão’s goal. Two minutes later, after a long ball forward, Santos tried to pressure Hugo Souza, but Corinthians played out comfortably. After 17 minutes, the clash between the teams was balanced and hard-fought, but without shots on target.

On the next play, nearly Timão’s first! Matheus Bidu combined well with Rodrigo Garro on the left. Number 21 got in behind and hit a low shot across goal, just wide of goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão’s left post! In the 20th minute, Rodrigo Garro was hit hard by William Arão in midfield. Number 8, however, sent the free kick straight behind.

In the 21st minute, Memphis Depay switched play to Matheus Bidu on the left. Number 21 crossed and the Santos defense cleared for a corner. From the set piece, Santos defended again. After another delivery, Rodrigo Garro struck it and the Santos defense cleared. On the counterattack, Gabriel Barbosa even found the net, but he was offside after receiving a through ball.

In the 25th minute, Rodrigo Garro was brought down by Luan Peres at the edge of the area, but nothing was given. Two minutes later, Corinthians built a move down the right from their own half. Matheuzinho received in space and saw three Timão players heading into the box. The cross, however, was cleared and ended up in goalkeeper Gabriel Brazão’s hands.

After 28 minutes, following a move through midfield, Matheuzinho fired from distance over the Santos goal. After 30 minutes of play, the picture remained the same: balanced, but with few clear-cut chances for either side. Shortly after, center-back Gabriel Paulista fouled Gabriel Bontempo at the edge of the area and was shown a yellow card.

From the free kick, Neymar struck the post and Oliva opened the scoring. After conceding, Corinthians tried to put pressure on the opposing side, but without efficiency in attack. In the 38th minute, Neymar was fouled by Allan and, from the set piece, shot straight wide. In the 41st minute, Gabriel, once again offside, received the ball up front and shot across goal, wide.

Shortly afterward, Matheus Bidu received the ball on the left and shot straight wide. In the 44th minute, Gabriel Barbosa switched play to Neymar, who took on Gustavo Henrique, recycled the move, and after a midfield battle, Gabriel Bontempo shot into Hugo Souza’s hands. When the clock hit 45 minutes, two minutes were added.

Rodrigo Garro was booked after fouling Neymar in midfield. In the 49th minute, the first half ended: Corinthians 0-1 Santos.

Second half

To begin the second half, coach Fernando Diniz made no changes. The opening moments of the second half between Corinthians and Santos FC saw the Corinthians side enjoying possession and occupying the attacking half. In the second minute, Santos tried to counterattack. Neymar received a switch of play on the left, took on Allan, and passed to Escobar to cross from the byline, but the Corinthians defense cleared.

In the fifth minute, Corinthians won the ball from Santos in their defensive half and tried to launch a counterattack with Rodrigo Garro and Memphis Depay. Number 8 tried to find Kaio César in behind, but the pass was too strong. Shortly afterward, Matheus Bidu received the ball near the byline on the left and had his cross blocked. Then, in a move down the right, Garro and Dieguiho worked the ball, and it fell to Bidu on the left.

Number 21 crossed low into the middle of the box, but no one arrived to finish. In the 10th minute, Corinthians moved the ball around in midfield from one side to the other until it reached Kaio César. Number 37 shifted it onto his left foot and crossed straight out for a throw-in. Moments later, Kaio César was fouled by Neymar. Garro sent it straight into the box and the danger was cleared.

In the 15th minute, Neymar received the ball in the middle, got past Kaio César, and played it wide to Barreal at the byline. The winger crossed, but Gabriel Paulista cleared. Shortly afterward, Kaio César found Memphis Depay inside, who laid it off for Matheuzinho to shoot, but his effort was blocked by the defense. Then, after a move along the byline, Memphis shot into the Santos defense and there were penalty appeals after it hit an arm.

In the 18th minute, Alvinegro circled Santos’s penalty area but could not finish the moves. Then came Timão’s first change: defensive midfielder Allan went off and forward Pedro Raul came on. In the 19th minute, Memphis took a corner, Pedro Raul got a flick-on at the near post, but no one was there. In the 20th minute, Kaio César was played through and won a corner.

Memphis Depay took the corner from the right and, after the loose ball following Rony’s clearance, Dieguinho shot straight at Gabriel Brazão. In the 22nd minute, Raniele played out with Garro, who sent Kaio César forward. Number 37 laid it off for Memphis Depay, who shot over the bar. A minute later, in an attack down the left, Barreal attempted two crosses, but the Corinthians defense cleared both.

In the 24th minute, Garro tried to pick out Pedro Raul with a lofted ball. Number 18 controlled it but slipped when it was time to shoot. On the next play, Timão won a free kick in midfield. From the set piece, after a loose ball involving Matheus Bidu, Alvinegro shot over the goal. In the 29th minute, after a move down the left, Dieguinho tried to shoot, but it was blocked by the defense.

In the 31st minute, Corinthians made their second change: Dieguinho went off and forward Gui Negão came on. Shortly before, Rollheiser found Rony in space on the left, but Gabriel Paulista came across to cover. A minute later, Matheus Bidu made a good move down the left and reached the byline, but his cross was blocked. From the ensuing delivery by Memphis Depay, Gabriel Brazão punched clear. Then Garro received the ball on the right, Raniele tried to head it, but only won a corner. On the next play, number 10 delivered to the near post and Raniele headed wide.

In the 36th minute, Matheus Bidu was fouled in the defensive half. Two minutes later came the third change: defensive midfielder Raniele left the pitch and Matheus Pereira came on. Three minutes later, Timão were piling on the pressure. Gabriel Paulista and Matheuzinho exchanged passes on the right, number 2 crossed, and the opposing defense sent it out for a corner.

In the 41st minute, Kaio César received the ball on the right wing and crossed, but the Santos defense cleared. Right after, Timão’s players appealed for a penalty, but nothing was given. In the 43rd minute, the Santos side was keeping possession. In the 44th minute, Matheus Pereira tried a long-range shot, but it was blocked. When the clock reached 45 minutes, six minutes were added.

In the first minute of stoppage time, Timão kept sending crosses into the box and no one arrived to finish. In the 46th minute, Garro got past Neymar and tried to find Matheuzinho inside the box, but the ball went past everyone. In the following minute, Matheus Bidu crossed to Gustavo Henrique, who headed it into the middle of the area, but Luan Peres cleared.

With two minutes remaining, Neymar started the move from deep, passed to Arão, who found Davizinho. He crossed for Oliva, who shot wide. In the final play, Hugo Souza came charging out in coverage, Matheus Bidu crossed, and Gui Negão shot wide! In the 52nd minute, full time: Corinthians 0-1 Santos FC.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.