Corinthians are in the Copa do Brasil final. The vacation came in spectacular fashion, with a 5-4 victory over Cruzeiro on penalties following a 2-1 defeat in regulation time. Now the São Paulo team awaits the definition of its opponent, which will come from the classic between Vasco and Fluminense. The finals will take place next Wednesday, in São Paulo, and next Sunday, at the Maracanã.
The ranking was achieved during an electrifying match and thanks to someone Corinthians fans are used to having as a hero: Hugo Souza. The archer shone on penalties, stopping two shots. An evening full of symbolism since, on the other side of the conflict, was none other than Cássio, an idol who defended the goals of the São Paulo club for 12 years and participated in historic achievements, such as the Libertadores and the 2012 Club World Cup.
Depay, Garro, Vitinho, Gustavo Henrique and Bidon converted the Corinthians’ penalties. Cássio, who faced his former club on penalties for the first time, saved Yuri Alberto’s shot. For Cruzeiro, Matheus Pereira, Vanderson, William and Lucas Silva scored. But Gabigol and Wallace stopped at Hugo Souza.
Cruzeiro managed to end Corinthians’ advantage with a crushing start. The Minas Gerais team went to São Paulo with a different attitude than in the first match and led 2-0, with goals from the Ecuadorian Arroyo in the 39th minute of the first half and the 4th in the second half.
But Corinthians, who suffered a blackout in the first half and only defended against the minors, were able to react. They scored five minutes after conceding the second goal and, more than that, they became the team with the best chances. If he did not draw, he at least managed to guarantee the result which took the dispute to penalties.
The numbers show how much better each team was at any given time. In the first, Cruzeiro’s team had 59% possession and finished five times, scoring a goal and forcing goalkeeper Hugo to make a difficult save.
During the second stage, despite Cruzeiro’s goal in the first minutes, Corinthians dominated. With the same 59% possession as their rival before the break, the home side finished 13 times.
Credit to Dorival Junior, who was able to correct the problems that occurred during the first stage. With the entry of Garro, the lack of connection between midfield and attack was resolved. He also canceled out Matheus Pereira, who had a lot of freedom and was the best player in the match.
As the 90 minutes failed to decide who the finalist would be, the decision was taken on penalties. This is where Hugo Souza’s star shone.
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