Corinthians is reborn, dispatches Atletico-MG on penalties and goes to the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil – 05/31/2023 – Sport

Corinthians achieved a heroic comeback this Wednesday (31) against Atlético-MG and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil.

After losing the first leg 2-0, the team from São Paulo returned the score at Neo Química Arena, with goals from Matheus Bidu and Róger Guedes and, in the penalty shootout, overcame the rival with 3 to 1.

It was only the second victory under the command of Vanderlei Luxemburgo in the ninth game of the Corinthians team with the new coach.

Two weeks after the first confrontation with the miners, the Luxembourg team had a different posture from the one they presented in Belo Horizonte. With the return of Renato Augusto to the starting lineup and a tactical scheme with three defenders, freeing up the full-backs to act as wingers, Corinthians played.

In Minas Gerais, only Atlético had done that. There, the Corinthian proposal was to hold a goalless draw, but the idea fell apart in the second half, when the team was leaked twice.

At the time, Luxemburgo was in his fifth game ahead of the São Paulo team, which had not yet won under his command. The lack of confidence also weighed on account of this.

This time, before facing the miners again, Corinthians came from a triumph over Fluminense at the weekend, for the Brazilian Championship —the first victory with the newly hired coach, in a game in which, finally, he found a way to play , repeated against Atlético.

Tactically, Corinthians closed well with the three defenders, had good starts on both sides, with Fagner and, above all, Matheus Bidu, but the main difference was in the creation of the midfield, with Renato Augusto acting as a conductor, with Fausto and Maycon of auxiliaries to serve the two men in front.

In the first 45 minutes of this Wednesday, Corinthians were unlucky to score twice before the break. In addition to Matheus Bidu’s goal, at 34, Yuri Alberto hit the crossbar.

In the final stage, the post again prevented the second goal in the sixth minute, when Yuri Alberto hit the ball at the foot of the crossbar and, in the sequence, Fausto Vera kicked it in the crossbar.

Atlético was cornered and Corinthians grew in the game. At 18 minutes, the commitment was rewarded with a great goal by Róger Guedes. In an individual play, he prevented the exit on the bottom line, left the markers behind, dribbled the goalkeeper and finished: 2 to 0, a score that dragged on until the end and took the decision to penalties.