Corinthians é Campeão da Libertadores da América!

É CAMPEÃO! 

Corinthians faz 2 a 0 no Boca Juniors e é o dono da América!

Émerson foi o herói corintiano ao macar os dois gols do título

Uma noite para entrar para a história do Pacaembu. O Corinthians encarava o temido e traiçoeiro Boca Juniors na frente de sua fanática torcida. Um time valente, que jamais perdeu sua marca durante todo um campeonato. Muito menos nessa quarta-feira. Absoluto, o Timão fez 2 a 0 nos argentinos e comemorou o primeiro título da Copa Libertadores em sua centenária história. Émerson Sheik marcou os dois gols da glória alvinegra.

Jogo truncado no início

As duas equipes começaram a partida com muita vontade, se respeitando mutuamente e criando poucas chances. A garra se confundia com violência às vezes, mas nada que provocasse alguma confusão no gramado. O Corinthians pressionava e ocupava o campo do Boca, que se fechava e ainda saía para o jogo. Comandados por Riquelme, os argentinos conseguiam trocar passes com mais objetividade.

O primeiro lance de maior perigo começou com o próprio camisa 10: Mouche tabelou com ele e saía na cara de Cássio, mas a defesa alvinegra se recuperou a tempo. Por volta dos 13 minutos, Alex chutou de média distância e fez Orión trabalhar pela primeira vez, ainda que o chute tenha sido fraco. Emerson fez uma grande jogada pela direita, com direito a janelinha, e quase surpreendeu o adversário. A defesa se recuperou e evitou o pior.

Jogo perde fôlego

O Boca conseguiu desacelerar o ritmo intenso dos brasileiros na metade do primeiro tempo, tocando bola e fazendo o tempo passar. Com a bola, o Corinthians produzia menos, e seguia sem conseguir encontrar espaços na defesa xeneize. Por volta dos 30 minutos, o goleiro Orión sentiu uma dividida anterior e precisou ser substituído por Sosa. Quando testado, o suplente mostrou alguma falta de segurança, ainda que o adversário tivesse chegado pouco.

Alex e Santiago Silva deram chutes sem perigo, o que ilustrava bem o panorama da partida. Nem mesmo os cinco minutos de acréscimo dados por Wilmar Roldán conseguiram se traduzir em algum lance mais substancial.

A história vai sendo feita

Na volta para a segunda etapa os argentinos deram a impressão de estarem mais à vontade, tocando bola no ataque e propondo o jogo pela primeira vez. Mas o jogo seguia tenso. Tão difícil, que foi decidido em um lance de confusão na área. Falta cobrada por Alex no lado direito, Alessandro desviou no primeiro pau e a zaga afastou mal. Danilo tocou de calcanhar, Schiavi furou e a bola sobrou para Emerson. Cara-a-cara com Sosa, o predestinado não perdoou: Corinthians 1 a 0.

O gol sofrido, sem dúvida, tornou as ações mais interessantes. Precisando do gol, o Boca precisou abrir mão da catimba e sair de vez para o jogo, abrindo espaços generosos para o Timão. Alguns contragolpes permitiram que a equipe brasileira chegasse mais próxima do gol, mas ainda sem um lance claro.

Campeão da América!

A partida seguiu tensa, apesar da vantagem do Corinthians. Os argentinos iam com força ao ataque enquanto o Timão se segurava. Mas Emerson, de novo ele, deixou a taça ainda mais próxima do Parque São Jorge. O Boca saiu jogando mal e deixou o Sheik no mano-a-mano com Schiavi. Muito mais rápido, o corintiano passou voando pelo zagueiro, avançou área adentro e deslocou Sosa para fazer o segundo.

A festa tomou conta do Pacaembu já aos 25 minutos. O Timão seguiu fazendo o tempo passar para comemorar. Os Xeneizes, entregues, até tentavam alguma ação na frente, sem sucesso. A noite do dia 4 de julho entrava para a história. O Corinthians é campeão da Copa Libertadores da América pela primeira vez!

Fonte: goal.com

Corinthians is the champion from Libertadores Cup

Corinthians 2-0 Boca Juniors

Emerson's brace wins the Copa Libertadores for Corinthians

Two second half goals from Emerson Sheik wins Corinthians their first ever Copa Libertadores title

Emerson’s two goals after half time were enough for Corinthians to see off Boca Juniors 2-0 at the Pacaembu. 

Corinthians dominated ball possession for the majority of the match, as the Brazilians looked the more adventurous of the two sides and deservedly claimed their first ever Copa Libertadores title at home.

Despite looking more threatening, the Sao Paulo side went into the break tied with their Buenos Aires counterparts. However, following the break, Emerson struck twice to win the game for the Timao. 

The 33-year-old scored a well-taken half volley after a wonderful assist from Danilo, before coolly slotting under substitute goalkeeper, Sebastian Sosa, after collecting a misplaced Rolando Schiavi pass. 

The first half began as a cagey affair, with neither side wanting to make the first mistake. Following a good spell of pressure from Corinthians in the middle of the half, Boca Juniors looked nervy and struggled to maintain possession as Corinthians pressed high up the field. 

On the half hour mark, the visitors suffered a blow to their chances as Agustin Orion’s knee injury forced Julio Falcioni to replace his regular number one with reserve goalkeeper Sebastian Sosa. 

Following the half time interval, Corinthians continued to press, as Emerson and Paulinho began to influence the game and create openings. Just 20 seconds into the second half, Emerson tested Sosa from the right wing as he played a dangerous ball into the 6-yard box, bringing a good save from the substitute stopper. 

However, he did not have to wait long to finally break the deadlock. In the 54th minute, Alex’s freekick from the right flank was flicked-on inside the box by Jorge Henrique towards Danilo. As the ball fell inside the area, Danilo skillfully back-heeled the bouncing ball to Emerson, who took the pass in his stride and struck past Sosa on the half volley to score the ever-important first goal. 

With less than 20 minutes to play, Emerson doubled Corinthians’ advantage. The Qatari international capitalised on Rolando Schiavi’s horrible mistake, collecting his loose pass across the pitch before running one-on-one with Sebastian Sosa and slotting the ball into the far corner to score his 5th goal of the tournament and confirm victory for the Brazilians. 

Corinthians have now qualified for the Fifa Club World Club Championships which will take place in December in Japan.

Source: goal.com

In a statement, Corinthians mourns the death of Socrates

Sao Paulo club's Board praised the talent and career of former player on the team in the title race in the Brazilian Championship.

In the 1970s, Socrates trains with Corinthians shirt

In a statement released Sunday, the board of Corinthians mourned the death of Socrates. In the fight for the title of the Brasileirão, the club said the passing of former player for the team that established itself, and in a tone of appreciation, praised the unquestionable talent and career of former athlete.

"The Sport Club Corinthians Paulista and all his loyal Fans parted with sorrow of Magrão, but also thankful for the honor of seeing one of the greatest players in soccer history wearing the mantle alvinegro so many games," says the note, if referring to a nickname of Socrates.

"Thank you for the beautiful goals, the touches of genius, for football only master Socrates had," added the statement. Late idol of Corinthians, Ronaldo Nazario also lamented the death of his predecessor. "The sad day has begun. Rest in peace Dr Socrates ...", posted on his Twitter page.

The club mourned the death of the crack on the day that the Corinthians could devote himself champion during the decisive round of the Championship. In contention for the title, the team plays for Sao Paulo in a classic tie against Palmeiras. "Today, it would be only one day of joy by the decision of the Brasileirão, got sad for Brazilian football, especially to the Corinthians," the statement said.

Socrates made history in Brazilian football club to stand out in São Paulo, which hired him in 1978. The following year, the player won his first title, the Paulista Championship in 1979. And come back to win the same competition in 1982 and 1983, scoring his name definitely among the idols Australians. He scored 175 goals in 297 matches with the shirt corintiana, between the years 1978 and 1984.

At the same time, Socrates stood out even in the club off the field. Along with players like winger and striker Casagrande Wladimir, he helped create the Corinthian Democracy, a movement in which players the team had the right to vote on issues ranging from the payment of "bugs" to hire reinforcements.

The loss of the idol of the 80s was also deplored by the Botafogo of Ribeirão Preto, where Socrates began his career. "Botafogo FC declares official mourning for the death of former player and idol Botafogo Socrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira. All directors, officers, employees, players, officials and fans deeply regret the death of Dr. Socrates, who had marked the passage Botafogo, becoming one of the biggest idols of all players and the club's history, "reported the club, also in a statement.

At 57 years, Socrates died on Sunday morning due to a generalized infection. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo since the night of Thursday. It was his third hospitalization in less than four months.

Source: Veja

BREAKING NEWS: R.I.P. SOCRATES

Brazil legend Socrates dies aged 57

It has been announced that the 60-times-capped player, who captained the Selecao in the 1982 World Cup, has passed away at hospital in Sao Paulo, following a fight with illness

Brazil legend Socrates has passed away after suffering complications in his bid to recover from an intestinal problem.

The former Corinthians hero was rushed to hospital in Sao Paulo on Thursday night with a suspected case of food poisoning, but was immediately placed in intensive care after it was discovered that he had suffered a septic shock, in which bacteria from an infection seeps into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, the 57-year-old lost his fight for survival and was pronounced dead at in the early hours of Sunday morning (Brazilian time).

Socrates had already been submitted to hospital with gastrointestinal haemorrhages twice previously since August and recently admitted that his problems had been related to alcohol abuse.

A classy midfielder with an eye for a goal, Socrates alsoplayed for Botafogo, Fiorentina, Flamengo and Santos during a stellar career which also saw him capped 60 times by Brazil. He was one of the most revered players in the Selecao's much-lauded 1982 World Cup squad, which he captained.

Source: goal.com