Corinthians resists pressure with player sent off and draws with Rosario Central in Libertadores
Corinthians faced difficulties, but managed to hold off Rosario Central in the first clash of the Conmebol Libertadores round of 16. On the night of July 25, 2026, at Gigante de Arroyito, the São Paulo team almost opened the scoring in the first half with Matheus Bidu, had midfielder Allan sent off in the 34th minute of the second half and, under intense pressure, secured a goalless draw against Di María’s team.
Next match will define a place at Neo Química Arena
The team led by coach Fernando Diniz will need a simple victory at the Neo Química Arena to advance to the quarterfinals of the biggest club tournament in South America. The return match against Rosario Central is scheduled for August 1, 2026, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time). If the score ends in a draw again, the place will be played on penalties.
An incident of racism marked the beginning of the final stage, when goalkeeper Hugo Souza called Uruguayan referee Andrés Matonte to report offenses. The Corinthians athlete claimed to have been called a “monkey and a shitty black man” by the Rosario Central fans.
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The referee alerted the match delegate, and captain Di María asked the fans to stop chanting. After a brief interruption, the game resumed. At the end of the match, Hugo Souza commented on the episode: “Unfortunately, every time we come to play here (in Argentina) it’s like this. It seems common, but they called me a ‘monkey and a shitty black man’. It’s something that happens frequently here. I can only tell the referee, I don’t have much to do. We have to keep our head.”
Details of the first half of the clash
The first half was marked by great intensity between Rosario Central and Corinthians. The best opportunity came from the team led by Fernando Diniz, in the 42nd minute, with a free kick from Matheuzinho that found Matheus Bidu. The left-back headed aimlessly and the ball hit the crossbar. The host team tried to exploit Di María’s moves, who started wide on the right and, throughout the stage, moved to the center. In a play from the baseline, Rosario made a low cross that was intercepted by defender Gabriel Paulista. The VAR analyzed a possible touch by the Corinthians player, but the field decision was maintained, as the ball had previously touched the defender’s thigh.
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The initial stage also had harsh confrontations and two heated arguments, resulting in five yellow cards: Matheuzinho, Breno Bidon and Allan for Corinthians, and Pizarro and Copetti for Rosario Central.
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Second half actions and player expulsion
After half-time, with the support of their fans and the urgency for victory, Rosario Central dominated the action and gradually forced Corinthians to defend themselves. The Argentines’ attacks were concentrated on Campaz, on the left, and Di María, on the right. Both caused problems for the Corinthians full-backs and created several opportunities.
In the 34th minute, right after Corinthians had a rare offensive chance, midfielder Allan committed a foul in midfield, resulting in his second yellow card and leaving the team with ten players. From that moment on, Corinthians dedicated themselves exclusively to defense, while Di María bombarded the area.
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Campaz and Di María had good shots from inside the area, but goalkeeper Hugo Souza made important saves. The defense duo, composed of Gabriel Paulista and Gustavo Henrique, controlled the center of the defense, frustrating the home team’s attempts to score.
Next challenge for the Brazilian Championship
Before the decisive game against Rosario Central in the Conmebol Libertadores, Corinthians will face Cruzeiro on July 28, 2026, at 7:30 pm (Brasília time), in the 23rd round of the Brazilian Championship. Corinthians is in a good phase in Series A, occupying seventh place and looking to get closer to the top of the table.
