Corinthians Stun Rosario Central with 80th-Minute Winner to Set Up Estudiantes Clash

A Heartbreaking Night for Rosario Central

The night of August 20, 2026 will be etched in the memory of Rosario Central fans. Jorge Almirón's squad had everything in their favor to reach the last eight of South America's biggest club tournament: they faced a Corinthians side reduced to 10 men from the 57th minute after Raniele's red card, yet still fell 1-0 at the Neo Química Arena. Breno Bidon's 80th-minute header, from a perfect cross by Memphis Depay, crushed the Canalla's dream and sent the Timao to the quarterfinals, where they will face Estudiantes de La Plata.

The tie, which had ended 0-0 in Rosario in the first leg, was decided by the narrowest of margins in Brazil. Corinthians, who had never won in Argentina, capitalized on their only clear chance and punished Central's lack of finishing despite their numerical advantage.

The Match: Early Local Dominance and Canalla Resistance

The first 15 minutes saw clear dominance from the São Paulo side, who settled in their opponent's half with advanced full-backs and André Carrillo pulling the strings. Goalkeeper Jeremías Ledesma made two key saves: one from Rodrigo Garro and another from Kaio César that flew just wide. Gradually, Central found their footing and began to compete for possession, though without creating real danger. Ángel Di María stayed wide on the right and had little impact; Jaminton Campaz also failed to unlock the defense. The Canalla's best moment in the first half came from Gastón Ávila, whose 35-meter strike whistled just past the post.

Raniele's Red Card and Copetti's Missed Chance

The second half turned scrappy. In the 57th minute, Brazilian midfielder Raniele delivered a brutal studs-up challenge on Enzo Copetti's knee. Venezuelan referee Alexis Herrera was called to the monitor by VAR and, after review, showed a straight red card. Corinthians were down to ten, and Central took control of possession and territory.

But once again, a lack of ideas and penetration proved costly. The clearest opportunity came in the 73rd minute: Copetti used his strength to burst into the box and, one-on-one with Hugo Souza, fired over the crossbar. It was an unforgivable miss that would come back to haunt them.

Bidon's Winner and Elimination

Just as the match seemed headed for penalties, the decisive moment arrived. In the 80th minute, Emanuel Coronel committed an unnecessary foul on the left flank, about 30 meters from goal. Memphis Depay, who had come on in the second half and is the Timao's biggest star, delivered a perfect free kick to the near post, and Breno Bidon got ahead of his marker to deflect the ball into the net. It was 1-0, and the home crowd erupted.

Central pushed forward with substitutes Mateo Cantizano and Julián Fernández, but never threatened again. The final whistle confirmed their elimination, and Di María collapsed on the pitch in tears, hinting at a possible retirement: “I need to think and see what I want to keep doing,” he said after the match.

Almirón's Karma Against Diniz

The statistics are damning: Jorge Almirón has lost 4 of his 5 encounters against Fernando Diniz in the Copa Libertadores. The only draw was the 0-0 in the first leg in Rosario. The first defeat was the most painful: the 2023 Libertadores final, when Boca Juniors fell 2-1 to Fluminense in extra time. Then came two group-stage losses in 2024 with Colo-Colo against the same Fluminense, and now this elimination with Corinthians.

“It hurts a lot because of how the match unfolded and what the team did. We were never closer to advancing. We played a very good match. It was just one play, one we should have avoided because we had an extra man and knew that ball was dangerous. We marked poorly and we leave very sad,” Almirón said in the post-match press conference.

Corinthians vs. Estudiantes: The Quarterfinal Matchup

With this result, Corinthians advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Copa Libertadores and will face Estudiantes de La Plata. The first leg will be played at Estudiantes' stadium in La Plata, with the return in Brazil. Dates are to be confirmed between September 8-10 (first leg) and September 15-17 (return). Diniz, who already won the Libertadores with Fluminense in 2023, will look to repeat the feat.

For Rosario Central, this elimination is another blow in knockout competitions. Almirón's team failed to get past the round of 16 and must now focus on the Argentine league's second half, where they sit in an inconsistent position. The coach's future is in doubt, though he avoided discussing it.

Key Match Facts

Sources: Clarín, El Día, TyC Sports, La Capital, La Nación.