Corinthians’ inconsistency exposed by slip-up against bottom side | OneFootball

João Linhares

Corinthians missed a good opportunity to establish themselves at the top of the Brazilian Championship table. This Sunday, Dorival Júnior's team was defeated 1-0 by Sport at Ilha do Retiro, ending their five-game unbeaten streak. The result, frustrating not only because of the poor performance, also repeats a pattern that has marked the team's campaign: stumbling against opponents who are in the relegation zone.

The defeat contrasts with the positive phase that Timão was experiencing. In previous matches, the team had shown consistency with victories over Fluminense and Athletico-PR (in the Copa do Brasil), as well as a draw against rivals Palmeiras. Even away from home, they had been competitive, as in the win against Flu at the Maracanã, a result that had boosted their confidence.

In Recife, however, the scenario was different. Corinthians even created the best chance of the first half, when Breno Bidon hit the post with a shot from outside the box. However, they showed defensive flaws early in the second half, when Matheusinho, in an individual play, got past three defenders and scored the winning goal for Leão. The passivity in tracking back and the difficulty in containing one-on-one dribbles were decisive in breaking the positive streak.

The setback also exposed Corinthians' difficulty in dealing with matches where they need to impose more offensively against opponents who prioritize a low defensive block. A similar situation had already occurred against Juventude, when the team struggled to turn possession into goals. In contrast, against stronger opponents, such as Palmeiras, their performance was more balanced, suggesting a better response in higher-intensity games.

With the stumble, Corinthians (10th) remain at 29 points and wasted the chance to build their best run under Dorival's command. The next match will be against Flamengo at Neo Química Arena, a clash that should serve as a thermometer to measure the squad's ability to bounce back. A win could put the team back in direct contention for a spot in the G6, but another negative result would raise the alarm about the inconsistencies that still persist in the coach's work.

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