Corinthians Secures Semifinal Spot with Memphis Depay’s Decisive Performance
Corinthians advanced to the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista after defeating Mirassol 2-0 on Sunday night at Neo Química Arena. Goals from Ángel Romero and Memphis Depay sealed the victory, ensuring home-field advantage for Corinthians in a potential final.
Palmeiras and Santos have already secured their semifinal spots, while São Paulo and Novorizontino will compete on Monday for the last berth. The match also marked the debut of Argentine left-back Fabrizio Angileri, who joined Corinthians last Friday.
Angileri made an immediate impact by assisting Depay’s second-half goal. Before focusing on the semifinals, Corinthians will face Barcelona de Guayaquil in Ecuador this Wednesday in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores third qualifying round.
Corinthians Secure Semifinal Spot
Mirassol started strong, controlling possession early and testing Corinthians’ defense. However, Corinthians struck first when Memphis Depay’s corner kick found Romero, who headed it into the net in the 22nd minute.
The goal calmed Ramon Díaz’s side, which nearly doubled its lead moments later when Yuri Alberto narrowly missed a cross from Memphis. In the second half, Mirassol attempted to equalize but failed to capitalize on their chances.
A disallowed bicycle kick goal by Lucas Ramon in the 22nd minute due to an offside call dashed Mirassol’s hopes. Corinthians responded decisively nine minutes later when Angileri delivered a precise cross to Memphis Depay. He scored with a header despite goalkeeper Alex Muralha’s effort.
Corinthians maintained control in the final minutes as Mirassol struggled to create meaningful opportunities. The win solidified Corinthians’ position as a title contender and highlighted Memphis Depay’s growing influence on the team.
With their semifinal berth secured, Corinthians now shift focus to their Libertadores campaign. The upcoming match against Barcelona de Guayaquil will be pivotal as they aim to advance further in South America’s most prestigious club competition.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error
Read More from The Rio Times