---

September 15, 2024

Overview: Fortaleza vs. Corinthians – forecast, squad updates, formations – Brazilian Serie A

In a rematch of the 2023 Copa Sudamericana semi-finals, Fortaleza and Corinthians will face off one round earlier this year, with the first leg set for Tuesday at Arena Castelao.

In the previous round, the Ceara-based team overcame Rosario Central with a 3-1 victory, winning the tie 4-2 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Corinthians secured their place in the quarter-finals after holding their nerve in a penalty shootout against Bragantino.

Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s halftime talk in the second leg against Rosario Central clearly inspired Fortaleza, which mounted a comeback, scoring three unanswered goals to advance to the next stage.

This marked the second time in their last three Copa Sudamericana matches that Fortaleza managed to secure a result after conceding first, earning them a place in the quarter-finals for the second consecutive year.

However, their momentum has slowed since that thrilling comeback, with just one win in their last four matches across all competitions.

As a result, Fortaleza now sit four points behind Botafogo at the top of the Brasileiro Serie A, after letting a 1-0 lead slip in a 1-1 draw against Athletico Paranaense on Saturday.

Fortaleza has won all four of its Copa Sudamericana home matches this year and is riding a 13-game winning streak at Arena Castelao across all competitions.

They remain unbeaten against Brazilian opposition in this tournament, knocking out Corinthians in the 2023 semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate victory.

After leading Bragantino by two goals on aggregate, Corinthians struggled to withstand their opponent’s attacking pressure, conceding twice but ultimately prevailing in the penalty shootout.

Their progression was largely thanks to some heroic goalkeeping, with Ramon Diaz’s team missing two penalties while three of Bragantino’s attempts were saved.

This marks Corinthians’ third appearance in the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals in their last four participations, and they’ve successfully advanced beyond this stage in all previous instances.

However, they are currently on a three-game losing streak away from home, each defeat by a single goal. Their last away victory came in the first leg of their Bragantino tie last month, where they won 2-1.

Before the second leg against Bragantino, Corinthians had never lost a 2024 Sudamericana match in regular time when scoring first, a feat they achieved in all their games this year.

Timao have never won a Copa Sudamericana quarter-final match away from home in regular time. They lost 1-0 to Estudiantes at this stage last year but advanced on penalties (3-2).

Heading into this match, Fortaleza could be without Matheus Rossetto, recovering from a calf strain, and Bruno Pacheco, whose injury status remains unclear.

In their previous Sudamericana game, second-half goals from Juan Martin Lucero, Yago Pikachu, and Lucas Sasha helped Fortaleza pull off a comeback and avoid elimination.

On the Corinthians side, Ruan Oliveira may miss out due to an ACL injury, while Alex Santana is not expected to recover from his thigh injury until early November. Additionally, Memphis Depay is still looking to debut for the club after missing recent games due to physical discomfort.

In their round of 16 second-leg clash, a 24th-minute goal by Rodrigo Garro gave Corinthians the lead, but goalkeeper Hugo Souza saved the day, stopping three penalties in the shootout to offset the missed attempts by teammates Andre Ramalho and Ryan, who both sent their shots over the bar.

Fortaleza’s potential starting lineup could include: Ricardo; 

Tinga, Kuscevic, Cardona, Jonatan; Welison, Hercules; Pikachu, Pochettino, Lopes; Lucero.

Corinthians’ likely starting XI might be Souza, Ramalho, G. Henrique, Caca, Fagner, Bidon, Ryan, Coronado, Bidu, Garro, and Giovane.

Prediction: Fortaleza 1-0 Corinthians.

Neither team has looked particularly sharp since progressing from the round of 16, but Fortaleza’s strong home form throughout the season may give them the edge. Their consistently winning at Arena Castelao could be the key to securing another victory on Tuesday.

Be your favorite player’s biggest fan! Check out our site and show them your support.

Football News Today | La Liga 2 | Saudi Pro League | Major League Soccer | J League | EFL Championship | Brazilian Serie A | Brazilian Serie A News