Midfielder scores first goal as Corinthians draw friendly with Cascavel | OneFootball

After a break during the 2026 World Cup, Corinthians returned to the pitch. On the afternoon of this Sunday (12), the Alvinegro Paulista faced FC Cascavel in the city of Cascavel, Paraná, in a mid-season friendly.

In the first half, Corinthians felt the lack of match rhythm and took a while to gain control of the game. Cascavel, in turn, took advantage to threaten down the flanks, especially through Palacios, and gave Timão a few scares. In attack, Kaio César was Corinthians’ most involved player and created the team’s best chance, with a placed shot saved by the goalkeeper. Even so, the score at halftime was 0-0.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

In the second half,

Next match

After facing FC Cascavel in Paraná, Corinthians will turn their focus back to the Brazilian Championship as they prepare for their first official match since May. On July 23 at 7:30 pm (Brasília time), Timão will face Remo at Neo Química Arena in the 19th and final round of the first half of the national competition. At the moment, Alvinegro sits in tenth place with 24 points — six wins, six draws, and six losses — with 18 goals scored and 19 conceded.

Corinthians lineup

It is worth noting that the Corinthians coaching staff had the following absences for the match against the team from Paraná: center-backs Gustavo Henrique (pain in the hip flexor area) and João Pedro Tchoca (rested; recently recovered from inguinal hernia surgery), left-back Hugo Farias (physical transition after knee surgery), as well as forwards Vitinho (physical transition after a hip injury), Kayke (ACL surgery; only returns in 2027), and Memphis Depay (on vacation after the Netherlands’ elimination from the 2026 World Cup).

With that, coach Fernando Diniz named the following starting lineup: Hugo Souza; Matheuzinho, André Ramalho, Gabriel Paulista and Matheus Bidu; Raniele, André Luiz, Breno Bidon and Rodrigo Garro; Kaio César and Yuri Alberto.

The bench featured the following substitutes: Kauê Camargo, Felipe Longo, Yago Melo, Pedro Milans, Fabrizio Angileri, Allan, Charles, Alex Santana, Matheus Pereira, André Carrillo, Dieguinho, Jesse Lingard, Zakaria Labyad, Pedro Raul and Gui Negão.

Cascavel lineup

Coach César Bueno sent out the Paraná side with: André Luiz; Libano, Geovane, Renan, Ian Barreto, Fabio Silva, Guru, Robinho, João Victor, Palacios and Cirilo.

Officials

Referee Murilo Ugolini Klein, from Curitiba, was in charge of the match. The officiating crew also included assistants Lucas Henrique Gowatiski and Luis Henrique Campanhoni Amadori, while Daniel Dantas Canario de Melo served as the fourth official.

First half

The match began with Corinthians being put under pressure by Cascavel. In the first minute, João Vitor got into the box and tried to finish, but was stopped by the Corinthians defense, which blocked the shot to keep the score level.

In the sixth minute, Palacios burst down the right, entered the area and shot. Hugo Souza got a touch on the ball, which rolled slowly toward Timão’s goal. Matheuzinho cleared it off the line to prevent Cascavel from opening the scoring.

Then in the 10th minute, Guru received the ball at the edge of the area after a move by Palacios and struck it with the inside of his foot. The shot was headed toward the Corinthians goal, but Hugo Souza made the save.

In the 15th minute, after a good move down the right, Matheuzinho played a low cutback. The ball ran across the area and fell to Matheus Bidu. He hit it hard, but sent it wide to the right of Cascavel’s goal.

The game then became very scrappy, with some hard fouls and even disagreements between players from both teams, despite it being only a friendly.

Another dangerous chance only came again in the 37th minute. Palacios advanced down the left, accelerated and entered the box before shooting with his left foot. Hugo Souza parried it away and prevented Cascavel from scoring.

In the 38th minute, Kaio César, who had been Corinthians’ main attacking threat in the match, burst down the right and won a dangerous free kick. From the set piece, Rodrigo Garro struck it dangerously, and the ball went just over the opponent’s crossbar.

Then in the 41st minute, after another foul won by the No. 37, Garro delivered a ball looking for Yuri Alberto. The No. 9 headed it on to Kaio César, who controlled it and hit a lovely left-footed shot, forcing the Cascavel goalkeeper to tip it away with a fine save to deny Alvinegro.

The first half lasted until the 50th minute, but with no further dangerous chances, and the score at halftime was 0-0.

Second half

Corinthians came back from the break with nine changes, keeping only center-backs André Ramalho and Gabriel Paulista on the field.

Right in the first minute, Labyad played an excellent pass to Pedro Milans, who received it inside the area and shot straight at goalkeeper Sidnei, wasting a clear chance to open the scoring.

Although they were not creating many clear-cut finishing chances, Corinthians began to control the game and camp around the opposition box, with the ball constantly going through Lingard, Labyad, and André Carrillo.

Corinthians’ goal: in the 15th minute, Carrillo crossed from the right, the defense headed it clear into the middle of the area, and Matheus Pereira struck it first time to open the scoring with a fine goal.

Cascavel’s goal: then in the 23rd minute, Cirilo capitalized on a mistake by Charles, who slipped while attempting the tackle. The No. 9 lifted the ball to the far post behind Angileri, and the full-back finished first time to level the match.

In the 43rd minute, Carrillo crossed into the middle of the area. Charles controlled it, but could not get enough power on the touch toward goal, and the Cascavel goalkeeper gathered it comfortably.

Then in the 47th minute, Luizinho curled a free kick over the wall, but the ball went wide to the right of Corinthians’ goal, passing dangerously by the goal defended by Felipe Longo in the closing stages.

In the 49th minute, Choco received the ball inside the Corinthians area, challenged the goalkeeper, and put it into the net for Cascavel. The referee disallowed it and called offside on the home team player.

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