Corinthians midfielder ends three-month drought in Brasileirão loss | OneFootball

On the afternoon of this Sunday (18), Corinthians faced Botafogo at Nilton Santos Stadium in a match valid for the 16th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship, and ended up losing 3-1. The result sent the team back into the relegation zone of the national tournament, sitting in 17th place with 18 points — four wins, six draws, and six losses — with 14 goals scored and 18 conceded.

Corinthians’ goal was scored by midfielder Rodrigo Garro in the first half. The No. 8 also ended a goal drought of nearly three months without scoring for Corinthians — 19 matches. Previously, his last goal for Timão had come on February 19, when the club from Parque São Jorge beat Athletico-PR 1-0 at Arena da Baixada in the second round of the Brasileirão.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

The Argentine’s goal came 10 minutes into the second half, when Botafogo made a mistake playing out from the back, Alvinegro applied pressure, and defensive midfielder Raniele won the ball. The ball fell to Jesse Lingard, who set up the No. 8 to fire a firm, low shot across goal and past Neto. Timão’s No. 77 also recorded his first assist for the club, in addition to two goals in 14 appearances (eight as a starter).

Since Fernando Diniz arrived at the beginning of April, Rodrigo Garro has been Corinthians’ standout player. In 12 matches under the new coach, he has provided eight assists. Considering the season as a whole, he is also the team’s top playmaker, with 11 assists. The players tied for second in that category have two.

Signed in January 2024 after standing out for Talleres of Argentina, Rodrigo Garro quickly became one of Corinthians’ main technical leaders. He was crucial in the team’s surge in the Brasileirão two seasons ago (from the relegation zone to the Libertadores preliminary rounds), finishing as the tournament’s assist leader that season (10) and earning a place in the ESPN Bola de Prata Award Team of the Season.

In addition, he contributed to the titles won in the Campeonato Paulista (2025), Copa do Brasil (2025), and Supercopa do Brasil (2026), against Palmeiras, Vasco da Gama, and Flamengo, respectively. Altogether, he has 17 goals and 33 assists in 130 appearances (105 as a starter) for Corinthians. Last year, it is worth remembering, he struggled with physical issues that prevented him from putting together a long run of matches. Between March and May, he was treated for knee tendinopathy. In October, he suffered a calf muscle injury.

With Rodrigo Garro now available, Corinthians turn their focus back to the Conmebol Libertadores group stage. Next Thursday (21), at 9:30 p.m. Brasília time, Alvinegro will visit Peñarol-URU in a match for the fifth round of the international competition’s qualifying phase.

Corinthians assists ranking in 2026

1) Rodrigo Garro – 11 assists

2) Matheuzinho, Yuri Alberto, Pedro Raul, Gustavo Henrique, Kaio César, and Matheus Bidu – two assists each

3) Jesse Lingard*, André Carrillo, Zakaria Labyad, Memphis Depay, Dieguinho, Vitinho, and Ryan – one assist each

Corinthians top scorers in 2026:

1) Yuri Alberto – six goals 2) Gustavo Henrique – four goals 3) Breno Bidon and André Luiz – three goals 4) Rodrigo Garro*, Dieguinho, Jesse Lingard, Matheus Bidu, Kayke, Gabriel Paulista, and Raniele – two goals each 5) Matheuzinho, Memphis Depay, João Pedro Tchoca, Vitinho, Gui Negão, and André Ramalho – one goal each

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