Gustavo Henrique: Corinthians were better, need to be more clinical

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Central do Timão

·9 febbraio 2026

Gustavo Henrique: Corinthians were better, need to be more clinical

By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians were defeated by Palmeiras 1-0 on Sunday night (8th), at Neo Química Arena, in the seventh round of the Campeonato Paulista. After the first Derby of 2026, defender Gustavo Henrique analyzed the team's performance and highlighted the missed chances during the match.

“We had a very good first half, with a strong pace, but unfortunately we couldn’t finish the chances we created into goals. They played on the counterattack throughout the match and, after a mistake of ours, they gained a numerical advantage and scored. In my view, we were superior to their team. Now it’s time to rest and focus on the next game,” said the defender in an interview with Cazé TV.

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Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

The first half was marked by Corinthians’ dominance. With greater control of possession and a constant presence in the attacking third, the team created the best opportunities of the classic. The main one came around the 30th minute, when Gustavo Henrique won a penalty after a foul committed by Carlos Miguel. On the spot, Memphis Depay ended up slipping and sent the shot wide, keeping the score level at halftime.

In the second half, the game became more balanced. Corinthians continued to press and created new chances, but were stopped by good interventions from Carlos Miguel. On the other side, Palmeiras struggled to threaten the opposing goal. The outcome of the match came in the 38th minute, when Flaco López took advantage of a rebound in the box and scored the goal that decided the game.

With the setback, Timão remain winless in derbies in the 2026 season. In addition to the defeat to Palmeiras, the team led by Dorival Júnior drew with São Paulo on January 18th at Neo Química Arena, and also drew with Santos at Vila Belmiro. Even so, Gustavo Henrique assessed that Corinthians performed well in matches against rivals, emphasizing the need for greater efficiency in finishing and more focus in decisive moments.

“We know that a derby is always a different game, especially against our biggest rival. In my view, we played a great match. In the first half, their team seemed lost and couldn’t touch the ball against our strong pace. Unfortunately, we had a penalty and other chances that we didn’t convert. Now it’s time to rest and focus on the last round: we’re going after that win,” he concluded.

With the negative result, Corinthians dropped to fifth place in the Campeonato Paulista, remaining on 11 points, and missed the chance to finish the first phase as overall leaders. Timão’s next fixture will only be on Thursday, February 12th, when they face Red Bull Bragantino, again at Neo Química Arena. The match is scheduled for 8:00 PM.

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