“The question would be more fair if you asked why I made those substitutions. Yuri was dead, we needed energy. We don’t want him to get hurt. Bidu also asked to come off. It was an obligation to make changes,” Clarence Seedorf said after his first match in charge.
Clarence Seedorf’s managerial debut at Corinthians turned into a disaster on Saturday as the club blew a lead against Vasco da Gama in Rio de Janeiro, losing 3-2 and plunging into the relegation zone of the Campeonato Brasileiro. The defeat at São Januário extended Corinthians’ winless streak in the league to ten matches.
How Vasco Secured the Win in Rio de Janeiro
The match began with early pressure from the visitors, but Vasco soon took control of the tempo. Colidio forced a sharp save from goalkeeper Hugo Souza in the eighth minute, before Yuri Alberto tested Vasco goalkeeper Léo Jardim at the other end. The hosts broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when lateral Puma Rodríguez reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area after the Corinthians defense failed to clear a cross from the left flank.
Corinthians emerged with a renewed attacking posture after the interval. Just four minutes into the second half, Breno Bidon floated a cross into the box that Gustavo Henrique met with a firm header to equalize. The turnaround materialized in the 11th minute when Angileri struck a long-range shot that deflected off Matheus Bidu, wrong-footing Léo Jardim to put Corinthians ahead 2-1.
Seedorf Defensive Substitutions Backfire as Vasco Surges
Holding a 2-1 lead with roughly 20 minutes remaining, Seedorf intervened from the bench to protect the advantage. He withdrew Rodrigo Garro and Breno Bidon, replacing them with defensive midfielders Charles and Allan. Vasco coach Pedro Emanuel responded by increasing his side’s attacking pressure, exploiting space that opened up in the visiting defense.
The tactical shift backfired as Vasco mounted a late surge. In the 38th minute, forward David nearly equalized before Hugo Souza stopped his close-range shot with his legs. Four minutes later, a cross from Lucas Piton set up a scramble in the box, allowing Marino Hinestroza to bundle a low shot past Souza for the 2-2 equalizer. In the 44th minute, Hinestroza capped the comeback by exchanging passes with David on a counter-attack and beating Souza once more to seal a 3-2 victory.
Seedorf Defends Tactics While Corinthians Remain Near Drop
Addressing the tactical criticism after the match, Seedorf defended his substitutions by citing physical exhaustion among his players. Beyond the immediate substitutions, the Dutch manager emphasized the psychological toll on the squad. “It’s normal to feel the shock at the end. You work so hard and it’s always more difficult in these moments to turn everything positive. It’s not over here,” Seedorf remarked, attempting to rally supporters by praising the team’s second-half effort.
The result leaves Corinthians in 17th place with 33 points, trailing Internacional by two points outside the drop zone. Vasco climbed to 13th place with 38 points, easing their own relegation worries. Club president Osmar Stabile had visited the squad prior to the fixture, promising to settle two months of overdue image rights and offering a special bonus should the team escape the relegation zone. Following the final whistle, frustrated players bypassed the press, with Hugo among the most visibly upset.
Upcoming Fixtures in the Campeonato Brasileiro
Corinthians must quickly regroup to face Mirassol in their next Campeonato Brasileiro fixture before meeting São Paulo. Seedorf’s squad returns to training with pressure mounting to secure their first victory in ten attempts.
Related reading
