Corinthians and Sao Paulo drew 0-0 in Itaquera’s Neo Qumica Arena on Wednesday night. The defence of both sides was the highlight of the encounter as there were few chances to score, the best of which was Gil’s header that came off the crossbar in the first half. The game only heated up at the end, when Fagner and Rodrigo Nestor got perplexed.
Maintaining Timao’s incredible record against the opposition at home is crucial for the narrative – there have been 15 games in Alvinegra since the Arena’s inception, with five draws and ten victories. Tricolor remain in the relegation zone and have not won in eight games, so things aren’t looking good on the standings.
The encounter between Corinthians and Sao Paulo was hectic in the first half, with a lot of pressure and both clubs’ best attacking players being held back. Gustavo Mosquito, who was being closely marked by Léo, only spotted an opening in the dying minutes and retreated to the back line in search of Jô.
Benitez was closely followed by the opponent’s defensive system for Tricolor, and he had very little possession of the ball. Even Dani Alves‘ presence in the area wasn’t enough to help the team win the game.
However, with Gil striking the crossbar after a cross from Fagner, and Vital putting pressure on Volpi to defend properly, Corinthians had the best chance of the first half.
At the start of the second half, Sao Paulo made an unexpected switch by substituting Rigoni for Benitez; the midfielder ended up being the most dangerous threat to the Corinthians defence. After that, Marquinhos was brought in to replace Mosquito, taking advantage of Léo’s strong marking in the area.
The visitors attempted to influence the outcome of the game by making various changes, but they were unsuccessful. Both teams were forced to settle for a goalless draw.
Corinthians returns to the pitch on Saturday to face Internacional at Neo Qumica Arena. Sao Paulo hosts Red Bull Bragantino on Sunday at Morumbi.
