Ronaldo Scores and Corinthians is Closer to Winning Copa do Brasil

Ana | Jun 18, 2009 | Comments 0

Corinthians 2 - 0 Inter Copa do Brasil 2009

Simply put, it was the best football match of the year in Brazil.

Face to face were Corinthians and Inter, defeatless champions in their states and long time favorites for the title of Copa do Brasil. Playing at home the first leg, Corinthians knew it had to own these 90 minutes. Especially because Inter missed 4 key players. Among those 4 were Nilmar and D’Alessandro, the best players of the side from Porto Alegre.

With this in mind, Corinthians tried to suffocate Inter. The match was frantic. In a micro seconds, the ball changed feet. It was impossible to breathe. Before the 20th minute, Corinthians missed two amazing chances. One saved by defender Danilo. The other with goalie Lauro incredibly denying Ronaldo.

Despite being crippled by the lack of its key players, Inter also knew what to do when it had the ball.

This created a scenario unseen in Brazilian football for a while. Neither side counterattacked to create its best chances. Corinthians and Inter were creative even when facing the other’s defense in its full line-up. And it was by exchanging quick passes that Marcelo Oliveira found Jorge Henrique to score the first goal of the final. Needless to say the fans went crazy.

And the game looked the way Corinthians like: the opponent in despair to tie giving many spaces for a man named Ronaldo. Inter had two chances before the first-half was over. Not successfully.

With 8 minutes in the second-half, it happened again. Corinthians had a foul. Elias did not stop the ball.The ref should’ve done that. He did not. Te ball found Ronaldo. The number 9 dribbled Indio with the ease a knife cuts butter. He shot. Goal. After a 40 day dry period, Ronaldo scored again. In a important moment one more time. Some people are just born to shine.

After that, another man took the stage. As Inter started to put pressure to score its first goal, Felipe, the goalie, became the hero of the day. A goal scored by the visitor can have important consequences in the second-leg. And Inter knew that. And attacked.But

However, Felipe, the man responsible for Corinthians losing in the final of last year’s Copado Brasil, saved his club this time. In the 20 minutes following the second goal, he stopped Taison twice, Andrezinho and Guinazu.

The goal for Inter seemed a matter of time. This is when one single man shattered those expectations. And he was wearing red. Forward Leandrao left the bench and managed to received two yellows in a matter of minutes. The red card stopped Inter.

Corinthians regained control and almost scored the third through Boquita. But Lauro worked too.

The 2-0 puts Corinthians very close to the title. But Inter will have its key players back. Now the question is: Can the two clubs top the level of tonight’s match in two weeks? I hope so.