Chasing quarter-final spot, Corinthians must end Internacional streak | OneFootball

On Thursday night (6), at 8 p.m. (Brasília time), Corinthians will host Internacional at Neo Química Arena in the second leg of the 2026 Copa do Brasil round of 16, seeking a place in the next round to avoid its worst campaign in the tournament since 2021. In the first leg, which took place at Beira-Rio on Sunday night (2), Colorado won 2-0.

If they do not want to be eliminated in normal time, Timão will have to win by at least two goals to take the decision to penalties. A victory by three goals would send them directly to the quarterfinals. Corinthians, however, will have to break an impressive Internacional streak in the national knockout competition.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Agência Corinthians

According to a survey by the Estatísticas Corinthianas account on X, formerly Twitter, in the five times they won the first leg by a two-goal margin in the history of the competition, Internacional were never eliminated after the second leg. In 2009, in the semifinals, they beat Coritiba 3-1 in the first leg and defeated them again 1-0 in the return match.

Then, in 2013, in the third round of the Copa do Brasil, they beat América-MG 3-1 in the first game and drew 1-1 in the second. In the 2015 edition, in the round of 16, Colorado beat Ituano 2-0 in the first leg and in the decisive match defeated them again, this time by a score of 2-1.

Also in the third round, but in the 2018 season, Internacional beat Cianorte 2-0 in both legs. The following year, in the round of 16 of the national knockout tournament, they defeated Paysandu 3-1 in the first leg and 1-0 in the second match. The only time Colorado won the Copa do Brasil in its history was in 1992.

Corinthians play for qualification to increase their accumulated Copa do Brasil prize money

At the moment, the club from Parque São Jorge has already collected R$ 5 million in prize money in the current edition of the national knockout competition, with R$ 2 million coming just from participating in the fifth phase and the rest from securing a place in the round of 16 after beating Barra-SC 1-0 in both matches, with goals from Jesse Lingard and Yuri Alberto, respectively. If they reach the quarterfinals, they will pocket another R$ 4 million.

It is worth remembering that, throughout their history, Corinthians have won the Copa do Brasil four times (1995, 2002, 2009 and 2025), the most recent coming last year, when they beat Vasco da Gama 2-1 at the Maracanã Stadium. On that title run, they got past the following teams: Novorizontino (third round), Palmeiras (round of 16), Athletico-PR (quarterfinals), Cruzeiro (semifinal) and Vasco da Gama (final).

In the three times Corinthians and Internacional have faced each other in the Copa do Brasil, Timão came out on top only once. In the 2009 tournament final, Alvinegro beat the team from Rio Grande do Sul 4-2 on aggregate. In the first leg, played at Pacaembu, Corinthians won with goals from Ronaldo Fenômeno and Jorge Henrique. In the return leg, at Beira-Rio Stadium, the match ended in a 2-2 draw, with goals from André Santos and Jorge Henrique.

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