Emily Lima hails Corinthians intensity, eyes Cruzeiro decider | OneFootball

Corinthians took the lead in the race for a place in the semifinals of the Brazilian Women’s Championship. On the night of last Monday (31), the Brabas beat Cruzeiro 1-0 at Arena Independência in Belo Horizonte in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the national competition.

Vic Albuquerque scored the only goal of the match and put Timão ahead in the tie. Now, Corinthians can draw in the return match to advance to the next round. After the result achieved in Minas Gerais, Emily Lima especially highlighted the intensity shown by the team and stressed that she expects the same approach to be maintained in the decider.

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel / Agência Corinthians

In a press conference with TikTaka Sports, the coach spoke about the importance of the Corinthians fans’ support, but emphasized that the team cannot ease off against Cruzeiro.

“Well, we know the Corinthians fans and we know they make a difference. I don’t even need to say that, but given the importance of the match and what we expect for the second game, we need to play with the same intensity we played with today, the same aggression we showed today, and also look to improve in all of those aspects. This is a match where, if you drop your intensity even a little, things change, the game changes.

So, we have to keep that aggression, that intensity in our actions, both offensively and defensively, be a very responsible team in what we do, understand every situation in the game, and qualifying at home will certainly be very good for us to go into a semifinal with even better spirits. Anyway, I think it’s about focusing on the second game and continuing in the competition in the best way possible.”

Emily Lima comments on possible venue for the decider

Despite the advantage built in the first meeting, Corinthians still do not have a stadium confirmed to host Cruzeiro. The decisive match is scheduled for next Monday, September 7, at 5 p.m. (Brasília time).

Asked whether she preferred Fazendinha or Neo Química Arena, Emily Lima said she considers the Arena the best option, but left the decision in the hands of the board.

“At the Arena it’s always better, just like at their home too, but I’ll leave that issue to the board. What I have to think about is making sure this team has a good week, goes into this game, and keeps pushing for more, keeps chasing the result all the time. So I’ll leave it in their hands so they can decide where it’s best for the women’s team to play.”

The coaching staff are therefore focused on preparation throughout the week. Even though they can advance with a draw, the idea expressed by Emily Lima is that Corinthians will not take the field just to protect the advantage earned in Belo Horizonte.

The return leg will determine one of the teams qualified for the semifinals of the Brazilian Women’s Championship. After the 1-0 away win, the Brabas go into the decisive 90 minutes depending only on themselves to continue their pursuit of an eighth national title.

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