"Ghost of 2000": Vasco v Corinthians in Copa do Brasil final at Maracanã | OneFootball

Vasco da Gama has a date with glory and its own ghosts next Sunday. The Maracanã, the stage where the club secured a heroic qualification in the semifinals, has been confirmed as the venue for the second and decisive match of the Copa do Brasil final against Corinthians. The match will take place at 6:30 PM, right after the first leg, scheduled for this Wednesday at the Neo Química Arena.

+ Vasco vs Corinthians: history, finals, and complete retrospective of the classic before the Copa do Brasil 2026 decision

The nine-year drought

The choice of the “Greatest in the World” brings to light a relevant statistic: Vasco could become champions at the stadium again after nine years. The last title won there was the 2016 Campeonato Carioca, under coach Jorginho.

On that occasion, the Cruz-Maltino overcame Botafogo in two matches (a 1-0 victory and a 1-1 draw), with goals from Jorge Henrique and Rafael Vaz. The squad included memorable names like Martin Silva, Andrezinho, Nenê, and Riascos.

Gigante da Colina celebrates the 2016 Carioca championship – Photo: Guito Moreto / Agência O Globo

The bitter memory and hope

On the other hand, facing Corinthians in a final at Maracanã brings back painful memories. The last time this happened was in the decision of the first FIFA Club World Cup in 2000, when Vasco was defeated on penalties.

Now, the expectation is to rewrite this story with a happy ending and a full house. In the semifinals against Fluminense, the fans packed more than 60,000 people into the stadium, and the forecast is for a full house again to push the Gigante da Colina towards the national title.

The painful loss of the 2000 World Cup – Photo: Matthew Ashton/EMPICS via Getty Images

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