Copa Libertadores
Corinthians Eliminate Rosario Central with Late Bidon Strike
Breno Bidon's 80th-minute goal sends the Brazilian giants through to the quarter-finals of the Libertadores.
Corinthians secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Rosario Central at the Neo Química Arena in Sao Paulo, advancing in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Round of 16. The match remained goalless through the first half, with both sides cautious and unable to break the deadlock before the interval.
The game saw its first significant incident in the 36th minute when Raniele of Corinthians received a yellow card. The tension escalated in the 58th minute as Raniele was shown a red card, leaving Corinthians to defend with ten men for the remainder of the contest.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Corinthians found the breakthrough in the 80th minute. Breno Bidon scored the only goal of the match, assisted by M. Depay, to give his team the lead. The goal proved decisive, sealing a 1-0 win for the home side.
With this result, Corinthians finish the group stage in first place in Group E with 11 points from six matches. Rosario Central conclude their campaign in second place in Group H, finishing with 13 points. The victory marks a significant step forward for Corinthians in the tournament.