📝 Corinthians keep Libertadores hopes alive with emphatic win v Avaí | OneFootball

Ahead of their match with already-relegated Avaí, Corinthians knew that Wednesday night was a must-win match and that anything less than all three points would surely kill off any hopes of qualifying for the 2020 Copa Libertadores.

Thanks to goals from Gustagol, Junior Urso, and Mauro Boselli, Timão thrashed their opponents 3-0 to end their three-match winless run and jump into seventh place over Internacional, who lost to Goiás 2-1 at home earlier in the evening.

Despite the enormity of the contest, Corinthians played in front of just 17,441 fans – their worst support of the season.

With three games remaining and one point behind São Paulo (four games to play), Corinthians supporters will all be watching Thursday’s duel between SPFC and Vasco, hoping their Paulista rivals drop valuable points.

As for Wednesday’s match, Corinthians overwhelmed their opponents, outshooting them 32-9 (9-1 SOG) on the night while possessing the ball 65% of the time.

The game did not start in the home side’s favour, however, as Avaí threatened in the beginning of the match and were undoubtedly the better side, making Cássio work to keep the match scoreless.

The breakthrough would come in the 21st minute, when Gustagol headed home Clayson’s corner to put Corinthians ahead for good.

Corinthians would go on to dominate the match and just after the half-time intermission, Junior Urso finished off a great ball from Gustagol to double their advantage.

Jádson and Pedrinho each came close before Mauro Boselli would finish off the scoring in the 86th minute.

Corinthians will close out the season against Atlético Mineiro and relegation-threatened outfits Ceará and Fluminense.