The script seemed perfect for Rosario Central: with Corinthians reduced to ten men after Raniele's red card and almost 40 minutes to exploit the advantage, Jorge Almirón's side looked destined to pull off a shock. But football can be cruel, and Corinthians, with the class of Memphis Depay and the finishing of Breno Bidon, landed a mortal blow in the 80th minute. The 1-0 win sent the Canalla packing from the Copa Libertadores 2026 and gave the Timão a place in the quarterfinals against Estudiantes de La Plata.
The match, played on Thursday, August 20 at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo, mirrored the tight 0-0 draw from the first leg in Rosario. In the opening half, Corinthians dominated possession but found a wall in Central's defense and the reflexes of goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma. The hosts had two clear chances: a shot from Garro that Ledesma saved and a long-range effort from Kaio César that went just wide. On the other side, the Canalla barely threatened, with a left-footed strike from Gastón Ávila that whistled past Hugo Souza's right post.
The Turning Point: Red Card and Missed Chance
The second half began with the same intensity, but in the 57th minute, Venezuelan referee Alexis Herrera, after a VAR review, sent off Raniele for a dangerous foul on Enzo Copetti. The midfielder had already been booked and left his team with ten men. Central took control of the ball and the pitch but lacked precision in the final third. The clearest chance came in the 73rd minute when Copetti won a duel, sprinted clear of the defense, and faced Hugo Souza one-on-one—but lifted his shot over the crossbar. A miss that would prove devastating.
Almirón tried to change the game with substitutes (Julián Fernández, Giovanni Cantizano, and Marco Ruben came on), but they couldn't break down a well-organized rearguard. When the tie seemed headed for penalties, Depay produced a moment of magic. The Dutchman, introduced in the 69th minute, received a short free-kick, then delivered a perfect cross to the near post. Breno Bidon anticipated everyone and scored the goal that sparked wild celebrations among the São Paulo faithful and left the Argentine contingent in tears.
Player Ratings for Rosario Central
According to analysis from Rosario3, the individual performances tell the story of the night:
- Jeremías Ledesma (5): Made a good save but couldn't stop the decisive goal.
- Emanuel Coronel (3): Committed the foul that led to the goal.
- Ignacio Ovando (6): Won most of his duels.
- Gastón Ávila (6): Solid defensively, almost scored from distance.
- Agustín Sández (5): Discreet performance.
- Franco Ibarra (5): Worked hard but without spark.
- Federico Navarro (6): The best midfielder on the pitch.
- Alan Rodríguez (5.5): Correct but not decisive.
- Ángel Di María (3): Misplaced almost every touch—a night to forget for the veteran.
- Jaminton Campaz (3.5): Lost his duel with Matheuzinho.
- Enzo Copetti (3): The villain of the night, missing the golden chance.
The substitutes (Cantizano, Julián Fernández, Ruben, and Badaloni) had little impact.
A Painful Historical Pattern
This elimination deepens Rosario Central's struggles in knockout ties on Brazilian soil. Statistics are blunt: they have won only 3 out of 9 such series in Brazil (in 1998 against Atlético Mineiro and in 2024 against Internacional). Corinthians had already eliminated them in 2000, also in the Round of 16 of the Libertadores, via penalties. This time, the Timão celebrated again, just like 26 years ago.
Di María's Uncertain Future
After the match, Ángel Di María, 38, hinted at a possible retirement. The winger told reporters: “Now I'll have to think and see what I want to keep doing.” Those words sent a ripple through the football world, as the Fideo is one of Argentina's most decorated players, with a Copa América and a World Cup to his name.
Next Round: Estudiantes Awaits
With this result, Corinthians advanced to the final eight and will face Estudiantes de La Plata in the quarterfinals. The first leg will be played at the Estadio UNO in La Plata, with the return at the Neo Química Arena in São Paulo. The Pincha, who eliminated Nacional de Montevideo, will aim to use home advantage to upset a Brazilian side featuring stars like Memphis Depay and Rodrigo Garro.
The tie promises drama. Meanwhile, Rosario Central must regroup and focus on the Torneo Clausura, where they sit second with 12 points, just two behind leaders River Plate. The pain of elimination is fresh, but Argentine football still has hope: Estudiantes will carry the flag and look to continue the nation's proud history in the Copa Libertadores.