Corinthians boxed in by Vasco, golden chance slips away | OneFootball

Corinthians played poorly and only managed a draw against Vasco this Wednesday at Neo Química Arena, in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil final. On an uninspired night, the team was boxed in by the Cruzmaltino’s marking and disappointed the Fiel.

Despite the fans’ celebration, Corinthians showed difficulties from the very first minute. Timão was surprised by Vasco’s high pressing and couldn’t find alternatives to reach the attack.

One of the team’s few solutions was the aerial ball. It was through this, in fact, that Memphis Depay scored in the first half, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Questionable Decisions

Dorival Júnior’s decisions were questionable. The coach chose to drop Maycon and start the match with Martínez, who ended up without a clear role and hindered Corinthians’ build-up play.

The substitutions also did not have the desired effect. Carrillo, for example, did not come on well. In attack, Yuri Alberto, who had a terrible game, stayed on until the end, while Memphis made way for Dieguinho in the final minutes.

In a press conference, Dorival explained that the substitution of the Dutchman was for physical reasons, as was Maycon’s absence from the starting lineup.

“Maycon played two straight games of 90 minutes and would have felt it a lot, running a high risk of injury if he started,” he justified.

Missed Opportunity

Corinthians squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead in the tie. Now, the team will have to do much better at Maracanã if they want to lift the trophy.

The result keeps everything open for the second leg of the final. The winner of the return match will take the Copa do Brasil title. If the aggregate score remains tied, the decision will go to penalties.

The decisive clash is scheduled for this Sunday, starting at 6pm (Brasília time).

Corinthians’ Next Match

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