When Corinthians welcome Juventude to Corinthians Arena for the second leg of their Copa do Brasil matchup on Wednesday, we'll find out who advanced to the semifinals first.
To keep their campaign undefeated this year, Juve hung on for a tight 2-1 victory when these teams met in late August.
Previous Matches and Head-to-head
The Corinthians were defeated in their first Copa do Brasil match of the season despite a late push in the tie's first leg.
If they lose this match, they might be out of the tournament for the first time since the third round of 2021 if they don't reach the quarterfinals.
Timao has won once and drawn in its last two Copa do Brasil home games this season. It hasn't lost a Copa do Brasil match at Corinthians Arena since Atletico Goianiense defeated it 2-0 in 2021.
They have advanced from four previous two-leg ties in this competition while behind after the first match, so they are familiar with this kind of situation, even if it is not a favorable one going into this match.
Ramon Diaz's side has only managed one win in their past six home matches across all competitions. That success came in their most recent league encounter earlier this month at Corinthians Arena, a 2-1 triumph against Flamengo.
The last time Timao lost in the competition's quarterfinals was in 2016, when Cruzeiro eliminated them in a 5-4 aggregate decision.
With another dominant offensive performance, Juventude is poised to make their tournament debut in the semifinals.
Jair Ventura's squad has been far more dangerous in the final third since their first-round encounter against Iguatu when they were held scoreless. On five separate occasions, they have scored multiple goals.
Even though they've been having a great run in the Copa do Brasil so far this year, their domestic play has been all downhill lately, with just one point earned in their last three matches.
Since Alviverde blew a 2-0 lead against Portuguesa in 2012 and lost the second leg of the game 4-0, they have not been eliminated from a Copa do Brasil tie after winning the first leg.
Only last month in Brasileiro Serie A action did they beat Athletico Paranaense 2-1 away from home, despite playing seven competitive matches in that span.
Although Verdao had won all four of their previous matches against Corinthians in all competitions, the last time they were defeated away from home was during the 2004 Brasileiro Serie A season (2-1).
Corinthians x Juventude Team News
Due to injuries to Ruan Oliveira's ACL and Alex Santana's thigh, Corinthians were without key players for the first leg of this match.
Yuri Alberto and Caca are cleared to play after receiving red cards in their most recent league match. However, Hector Hernandez might be benched after being substituted in the first seven minutes of their last game due to a thigh injury.
It has been claimed that Corinthians has offered Memphis Depay a two-year deal. However, the Dutch striker has not yet formally signed, so he will not be eligible to play on Wednesday.
In the third minute of the second half's stoppage time, Gustavo Henrique scored to bring his team within one goal of Juve before this deciding match.
Last month, Juventude was missing key players due to injuries; Caique Goncalves and Daniel Peixoto were out with ACL problems, while Lucas Freitas was nursing a shoulder problem.
A muscular strain has Ewerthon out of action, a knee injury puts Gabriel Taliari on the sidelines, and thigh issues are likely to keep Luis Mandaca and Thiago Conti out.
In the first meeting between the two teams, Ronie Carrillo scored the opening goal. Three minutes before halftime, Danilo Boza scored the game-winning goal.
Our Predictions
Corinthians to win @ 1.53 on Sky247.ng
With their prior success in this event, Corinthians should be able to keep their cool against Juve, who will be playing on unfamiliar ground in the Copa do Brasil.
Elevate your betting experience with SKY247 Nigeria. Join now and discover a thrilling world of sports, live events, and exclusive bonuses. Bet with confidence on your favourite teams and games.