Corinthians defeated Universitario 1-0 in the first leg of the playoffs that will give them a spot in the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana 2023. It is important to note that the Brazilian team played with substitutes in the match, which surprised fans of both teams.
It is known that 'Timao' did not even include their usual starters in the squad and ended up winning with a substitute team. A few days ago, Vanderlei Luxemburgo, the coach of the Sao Paulo team, revealed that he will give greater importance to local tournaments, such as the Brasileirao and the Copa Brasil.
Corinthians has not started the season well and is currently in 15th place, only four points above the relegation zone. If they weaken their team, they could go downhill, which would be a historic embarrassment for one of the giants of South America. As for the Copa Brasil, it is purely economic. If they win the title, they would receive up to $20 million in prize money, including bonuses for advancing to the next stages. Meanwhile, in the Sudamericana, they would only receive eight million dollars if they become champions.
However, Corinthians already played with substitutes in the last match of the 2023 Copa Libertadores and, as the home team, they beat Liverpool from Uruguay 3-0, a result that allowed them to access the play-off of the Copa Sudamericana.
The substitutes of Corinthians defeated Liverpool (U) 3-0.
Who scored the winning goal for Corinthians against 'U'?
Corinthians was able to defeat Universitario at home thanks to Felipe Augusto's goal.