Copa Libertadores 2012 - SEMIFINALES

Discussion in 'Copa Libertadores / Sudamericana' started by JAIME CHILE, May 30, 2012.

  1. JAIME CHILE

    JAIME CHILE Member+

    Apr 26, 2006
    V.Alemana y Stgo
    Club:
    Cobreloa Calama
    Nat'l Team:
    Chile
    Semifinal (vuelta):

    Corinthians(BRA) 1 Santos(BRA) 1
    Goles de Neymar(S) y Danilo(C).

    En el global ganó Corinthians 2:1, y jugará la Final (por 1a vez en su historia) contra Boca Juniors(ARG) o Universidad de Chile(CHI).
     
  2. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Is Corinthians the Chelsea of Copa Libertadores? They win mostly by playing defense.
     
  3. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
    If my beloved Corinthians is the Chelsea of the Copa Libertadores, that must make Boca the Bayern of the Copa Libertadores :D
     
  4. Catracho_Azul

    Catracho_Azul Member+

    Jun 16, 2008
    New Orleans
    Club:
    Corinthians Sao Paulo
    Nat'l Team:
    Honduras
  5. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Ja!

    I just hope history does not repeat itself. :D
     
  6. posteador

    posteador Member+

    Dec 29, 2006
    Lincoln, UK
    *cough* we are not out yet *cough*
     
    locoxriver repped this.
  7. Century's Best

    Century's Best Member+

    Jul 29, 2003
    USA
    The day I never thought would arrive has become a reality. Corinthians will play a Libertadores final. Someone wake up me – truly, this is a nightmare! :(

    But as a soccer fan, and leaving biases aside, I must say Corinthians deserves it. It is a team without superstars who deploys a very solid collective game. This teamwork is the reason Santos will not contend for a fourth Libertadores: it has excellent players, it has the best player in Brazil, but it doesn’t have that teamwork.

    Elano is not the player he was in the 2010 World Cup, Ganso had a terrible night (as he did last week, and the knee surgery after the quarterfinals clearly slowed him down), Arouca, Alan Kardec, and Borges only did so much, and Íbson should never have gone to Flamengo – not during this Copa. And Neymar, who is going to have a brilliant career, played his heart out, scored, and moved around the pitch. This time, Neymar cannot be blamed. But Corinthians neutralized Neymar just as well as Vélez Sarsfield and the Mexican NT did (well, almost as well - Neymar did score yesterday).

    Corinthians, under Tite, has the best defense of a Libertadores finalist since 1977’s Boca Júniores. In 12 matches, Corinthians has been scored on only three times, and yesterday’s Neymar goal was the first time Corinthians’ defense failed since since April 11, in a 1-3 win in Paraguay against Nacional. Corinthians had already clinched a round of 16 berth and 1 minute after Nacional scored, Corinthians scored its third.

    Corinthians is probably the most “modern” team in Brazil. It has no Neymar or Ganso. Unlike Internacional, it lacks NT stars like D’Alessandro or Oscar. Unlike São Paulo, it lacks a former World Cup starter (Luís Fabiano). Unlike Flamengo (until recently) it fields no former recipient of the FIFA World Player of the year award. It does have blue-collar, lunch-pail workhorses who bring discipline and tactical application like Danilo, Émerson Sheik, and Alex. Its defenders (Ralf and Paulinho) may not be very well known, but they’ve proven their mettle.

    Superior teamwork resulted in more shots on goal – 9 vs. 6 for Santos. Of those 9, 5 were on goal, including Danilo’s goal. Santos had 3 shots on goal, one of them being Neymar’s goal.

    Santos surely could’ve won that game. They had fewer shots on goal than Corinthians, but one correct shot and you have a goal. I would say Santos’ management should not disassemble this squad. Rather, they would be wise to invest in other complementary-type players who can reinforce this already good foundation and help Neymar and Ganso. They were worthy champions in 2011, and with some shrewd moves, they can return to the Libertadores in 2013. They have no choice now – the Brasileirão is the only route back to the Copa.

    Muricy Ramalho, whom I like very much as he led my São Paulo to a Brasileirão three-peat, has yet again failed in a Libertadores elimination round against fellow Brazilians: 2006 vs. Internacional/Abel Braga; 2007 vs. Grêmio/Mano Menezes; 2008 vs. Fluminense/Renato Gaúcho. The one time he succeeded, it was against foreigners (Peñarol/Diego Aguirre). Speculation states he will leave and replace Mano in Brazil IF Brazil doesn’t win gold in the Olympics, but I would say he should stay – if Santos’ brass makes the right moves, rebuilds around its young stars, this Santos can offer a lot of mileage.

    Tite shows his evolution as a manager. He has won state titles and Brazil’s two main tournaments: Copa do Brasil (with Grêmio in 2011) and the Brasileirão (with Corinthians, last year). He also won Copa Sul-Americana with Internacional in 2008. Whether it’s Jorge Sampaoli or Julio Falcioni who he faces now, perhaps he should be considered as a future NT manager.

    Corinthians will now play for a title it has never won – a title that São Paulo, Palmeiras, and Santos mock it for lacking. Ahead will be Universidade de Chile, the reigning Copa Sul-Americana titleholder, who brings a fluid and offensive game; or, Boca Júniores, the current Argentine league titlist, whose style is a mirror image of Corinthians’ aggressive defending and marking. Whoever it is, Corinthians will have to be taken seriously – it has dethroned last year’s Libertadores winner, and it is the defending Brazilian champion.

    And when the semifinals were determined, Brazil continued with its presence in the Libertadores’ finals. Corinthians is the 12th Brazilian team to reach the final in the past 20 years. It was only in 1996 (Rio da Prata vs. América de Cali), 2001 (Boca Júniores vs. Cruz Azul), and 2004 (Onze Caldas vs. Boca Júniores) that Brazilian soccer did not participate in the final.

    Tonight: Boca vs. La U in Santiago. Can’t wait for it. Ah, how I LOVE the Libertadores.
     
  8. Mengão86

    Mengão86 Moderator
    Staff Member

    Flamengo
    Brazil
    Nov 16, 2005
    Maryland, RJ/ES/PE
    Club:
    Flamengo Rio Janeiro
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Tite is Dunga 2.0 -- he plays a counter-attacking brand of football focused on defensive stability. His defensive system is the heart and soul of this Corinthians team. Chicao and Castan aren't world beaters, but they execute their role within the system very well. They are always well positioned and they have ample protection from Ralf and Paulinho. Just like Dunga, Tite has been getting results, despite playing "ugly looking" football. Tite's team is actually doing something I haven't seen in a while in Brazilian football -- show CONSISTENCY.
     
  9. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    One hell of a game. Everybody going 100 percent. This is what La Copa is all about.
     
  10. argentine soccer fan

    Staff Member

    Jan 18, 2001
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    Final U 0 Boca 0. Awesome game! Both teams fought like lions. My respect to La U. Now lets go get Corinthians!!!!

    VAMOS BOCA CARAJO!
     
    MetroChile repped this.
  11. Yañez

    Yañez Member+

    Oct 11, 2005
    Santiago, Llolleo
    Club:
    Univ de Chile
    Nat'l Team:
    Chile
    Good game footballwise. Nothing but praises for my team, died attacking like we always do. Props to Boca. See ya in Libertadores next year :( now im gonna go cry.
     
  12. JAIME CHILE

    JAIME CHILE Member+

    Apr 26, 2006
    V.Alemana y Stgo
    Club:
    Cobreloa Calama
    Nat'l Team:
    Chile
    Al menos en tiros a los postes ganó la U (2:1): Riquelme(BJ), Díaz(U) y Ruidíaz(U).

    Se repite el "sino" de la U de no poder clasificar a ninguna Final de Copa Libertadores, lo que ya han logrado 4 clubes chilenos en la historia (ColoColo 2 veces, Cobreloa 2 veces, Univ.Católica 1 vez y Unión Española 1 vez).
     
  13. JAIME CHILE

    JAIME CHILE Member+

    Apr 26, 2006
    V.Alemana y Stgo
    Club:
    Cobreloa Calama
    Nat'l Team:
    Chile
  14. posteador

    posteador Member+

    Dec 29, 2006
    Lincoln, UK
    Nothing to add, the guys did their best. The best teams in S.America made it to the final, I couldn't see Santos or our defence holding Chelsea... but both Boca and Corinthians have what it takes to represent us well against the Europeans. Best of luck to whoever wins!
     

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