In a match marked by an excess of passing errors and little creativity, the first clash of the Copa do Brasil decision between Corinthians and Vasco ended without a goal, this Wednesday (17), in Itaquera.
At the Neo Química Arena, home of Corinthians, the 0-0 draw kept open the dispute, which will be defined in Rio de Janeiro, next Sunday (21), at the Maracanã, from 6:00 p.m.
In the event of a new tie during the second duel, the champion will be chosen on penalties. This is how both teams reached the final. In the semi-final, Corinthians beat Cruzeiro, while Vasco eliminated Fluminense, both on penalties.
Given this scenario, if the two finalists repeat São Paulo’s performance in Rio, the definition of the title on penalties appears to be a likely outcome.
On the pitch, the first half reflected the balance indicated by the score. With few clear chances to score, Vasco relied on possession, while Corinthians attempted to exploit set pieces. Well positioned, the defenses stood out and made it difficult to make offensive plays.
Despite this, the first stage was marked by tense moments, with two goals disallowed for offside. First, the visitors scared the Corinthians fans by finding the net with Rayan, who came face to face with Hugo Souza, in the 18th minute. The locals’ response came at 25, after a free kick from Garro in the area, a deflection from Yuri Alberto and a strike from Memphis Depay in the small area.
With both moves invalidated, the first half ended without any clear shots from either side, a reflection of the excess passing errors seen throughout the match.
After halftime, Corinthians tried to adopt a more attacking position and became more present on the offensive pitch. However, it was Vasco who came closest to opening the scoring.
In the 22nd minute, the Rio team had the best chance of the match, when midfielder Barros rose above the defense and headed the ball against the post. This gesture sums up a second half of rare moments of emotion, marked again by a lack of precision in passing and a lack of creativity.
The figures reinforce this reading. Despite the clear chance, Vasco finished the match without any successful shots, although he had more shots on goal, with 12 attempts. Corinthians had nine, including two on goal, but none of them required major intervention from goalkeeper Léo Jardim.
The performance was below expectations, especially for the home team. With a full stadium and constant support from the start, Corinthians fans expected a more dominant performance from the team led by Dorival Júnior, especially due to the presence of the attacking trio of Rodrigo Garro, Memphis Depay and Yuri Alberto.
However, even with maximum strength, the trio produced little. Uninspired, the attackers failed to break through the Vasco defense. At the last minute, after being replaced in the 38th minute, Depay left the field visibly irritated by Dorival’s decision to serve him for Dieguinho’s entry.
From the bench, the Dutchman watched the final minutes marked by Corinthians’ difficulty in exerting pressure and transforming control of the field into an advantage on the scoreboard.
After the match, the reading of Corinthians was surprising by the behavior of the opponent. Midfielder Maycon said the team was unable to execute the game plan, especially in the first half.
“Our team prepared for a different type of game and could not apply it. Vasco succeeded, but we have the capacity to reach Rio de Janeiro and win the title. This is not the result we wanted, we would have liked to win,” he said.
On Vasco’s side, the speech showed confidence for the decisive duel. Striker Rayan stressed that, despite the draw, the team will now have the advantage of playing in front of their supporters.
“They close the middle a lot, we tried to play more outside today. The goal didn’t happen, but, God willing, it will happen and we will come out champions (in Rio de Janeiro),” he said. “On Sunday our fans will be there, the tickets are already sold. God willing, we will achieve victory and the title,” he added.
In addition to the sporting aspect, the decision also has a significant financial impact. The two finalists have already guaranteed at least BRL 33.075 million in prize money to advance to the decision, the amount allocated to the finalist. Whoever lifts the cup will receive an additional R$44.1 million and guarantee a place in the 2026 Libertadores.
About The Author
