Emily Lima points to tweaks Corinthians need to reach Brasileirão final | OneFootball

Corinthians Women are in the final stages of preparation before returning to the field for the Brazilian Championship semifinal. After beating Bahia 1-0 in the first meeting between the teams, the Brabas will have home-field advantage in the decisive match, which will be played at Neo Química Arena.

For Emily Lima, one of the main points to be corrected for the second clash is related to controlling the match. The coach believes Corinthians need to have greater command of play through the middle of the pitch, in addition to gaining the upper hand in contests for the first and second balls.

Photo: ©Rodrigo Gazzanel / Ag. Corinthians

Another aspect that received special attention from the manager is the flanks. According to Emily, the system used by Bahia can find space in the wide areas and turn those situations into attacking opportunities.

“What we need to adjust for the home game is trying to control this match in our house. So it’s about minimizing those major problems we had many times in midfield, combining through the middle, where in the last match against Cruzeiro we managed to completely control both games inside, and it’s very similar to what we need to do against Bahia”, Emily Lima began in an interview with Corinthians TV.

“So if we let them control the areas where they have quality and then connect their passes, we end up suffering a bit. Playing with three center backs and wing-backs, the wide channels become vulnerable, and that’s where they manage to attack and where they really like to attack within Bahia’s game plan. So I really see controlling the game and the first and second ball as key, because they’re a team that competes hard for the first and second ball, and at home we can’t let that happen”, she continued.

Emily Lima also analyzed the way Bahia look to build their attacking plays. For the Corinthians coach, the reaction immediately after losing possession will be crucial to prevent the opponent from finding open space and accelerating their transitions.

The coach explained that this behavior has been worked on during the week’s training sessions, with attention to situations in which the ball is covered or uncovered and the need to recover shape quickly.

“I think what we can do in their attacking transition moments is try to close down the ball as quickly as possible. If we don’t close down or cover the ball, it stays uncovered, and when the transition is long, it will happen. They are quick players, so with the ball uncovered, we have to run back to attack the ball head-on. We’ve been working a lot on this, on covered and uncovered balls. The context of the game is very complicated for those on the field; it’s not so simple to think about so many things and make a decision. Many times, we end up making the wrong decision”, she went on.

Emily then stressed the need for an immediate response from the team whenever possession is lost. What the coaching staff calls “lose-react” is seen as one of the behaviors that could make the difference in the second leg.

The very move that ended in Corinthians’ goal in the first match was used by the coach to illustrate the kind of transition she wants to see again against Bahia.

“What we’re going to emphasize this week is lose-react. Our goal came from their organization and our attacking transition, which is winning the ball back and launching a quick, very direct attack. Today, we were very effective in that moment of the game, winning it back and managing to make an attacking transition much closer to the opponent’s goal. They couldn’t close down the ball and make our transition slower. That’s what we need to do: slow down the transition so that we can be better organized”, she concluded.

The victory in the first match put Corinthians ahead in the semifinal. With the 1-0 away win, the Brabas will advance to the championship final with a draw in the second meeting.

The match that will decide one of the finalists of the Brazilian Women’s Championship will be played on Monday at 9:30 p.m. at Neo Química Arena, in Itaquera.

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