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Copa Sudamericana: Corinthians 0 - 0 River Plate [Fri Sep 16th, 2005]
The few supporters that ventured out on a cold, drizzly night must have wished they were curled up at home in front of a box that they could at least zap and break the monotonous display of football offered at Morumbi.
The game was almost an insult to the glorious names of Corinthians and River Plate – if justice could have been meted out, both teams should have lost.
The only (cold) comfort for the Timão is that the return leg in Buenos Aires should see the return of a more star-studded cast (Mattos, Nery and Tevez, alongside a more active Roger and a recovered Jô) even if Mascherano is out with a hairline fracture caused by over-training.
If River play a similar game, then Corinthians should glide through to the quarter finals and meet either Mexican Pumas or Bolivians The Strongest.
Bobô almost belied his reputation as a lumbering flop in the first few minutes, but Carlos Alberto lofted his pass into the second tier of a virtually empty Morumbi.
River Plate’s Farias replied in kind with schoolboy finishing, and apart from one more Carlos Alberto miss, that was it for the first half. It would be nice to report that the second half was better, but that’d be a lie. Even ex-Benfica playmaker Roger made no difference.
The most interesting duel was for the crown of incompetent striker; Bobô vying with River number 9 Farias, and winning the dubious title by missing an open goal. The shivering spectators chanted ‘Bobo! Bobo! Bobo!’, which to non-Brazilians may seem like encouragement, but without the circumflex accent over the second ‘o’ translates as "stupid".
The only heroes of the night were the 6,128 fans – braving the elements and really deserving their R$86,022 back. I pray that the second leg is everything this waste of time wasn’t.
Venue: Morumbi, São Paulo (SP)
Referee: Martin Vasquez (URU)
Linesmen: Olivier Vieira and Edgardo Acosta (URU)
Yellow Card: Bruno Octavio, Wescley, Marcus VinÃÂcius (Corinthians), Oberman, Farias (River Plate)
Gate: R$86,022
Spectators: 6,128.
CORINTHIANS: Marcelo; Wescley, Sebá and Marcus VinÃÂcius (Betão); Coelho, Bruno Octavio, Hugo, Dinélson (Roger) and Rosinei (Eduardo Ratinho); Carlos Alberto and Bobô.
Coach: Márcio Bittencourt.
RIVER PLATE: Lux; Alvarez, Talamonti, Fernández and Mareque; Santana, Andrés San MartÃÂn, Patino (Ahumada) and Gallardo (Sambueza); Oberman (Galván) and FarÃÂas.
Coach: Reinaldo Merlo.
Aaron Marcus
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