Referee remembers the 2012 Libertadores final and points out Corinthians fans as the most intimidating he witnessed
- By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial
The 4th of July marks one of the most important dates in the history of Corinthians. In 2026, it will be 14 years since the 2012 Libertadores, when the club defeated Boca Juniors 2-0, at Pacaembu, and lifted the continent's main trophy for the first time without suffering any defeat during the campaign.
Responsible for leading the refereeing of that decision, Colombian Wilmar Roldán recalled the match recently. While participating in an event promoted by ESPN Colombia, the referee classified the atmosphere found at the Corinthians stadium as the most intimidating he had ever seen throughout his professional career.
Photo: © Daniel Augusto Jr. / Ag. Corinthians
On that historic night, almost 38 thousand fans were present at Pacaembu to support Corinthians in their quest for an unprecedented title. Long before the start of the match, Fiel was already transforming the stands into a true cauldron, with parties, fireworks, incessant singing and a mosaic that displayed the phrase "Go, Corinthians" in the club's traditional colors.
The scenario was favorable to the team led by Tite. After the 1-1 draw in the first game, held at La Bombonera, a simple victory was enough to guarantee the cup. In Argentina, Romarinho had scored in the final minutes and left the decision completely open for the clash in São Paulo.
Pushed by the fans, Corinthians started the match looking to attack. During the initial stage, midfielder Alex tried to surprise with some medium and long distance shots, but without requiring major interventions from the opposing defense.
After the break, Timão increased the intensity and began to frequently explore aerial plays. The strategy ended up paying off in the first minutes of the second half.
In the eighth minute, Alex raised the ball in the area. After a failed attempt to cut through the Argentine defense, Danilo participated in the play with a heel touch that left Emerson Sheik in ideal conditions to finish and open the scoring in front of goalkeeper Orión.
Shortly later, the attacker appeared decisively again. Taking advantage of an error when the ball was thrown by the experienced Schiavi, Sheik regained possession in the offensive field, advanced towards the area and struck with precision to score the second goal of the match, a result that confirmed Corinthians' continental conquest.
Recognized as one of the main referees in South America, Wilmar Roldán reached that final already boasting great prestige on the international scene. Throughout his career, the Colombian has participated in two World Cups, four Libertadores decisions, several South American Qualifiers matches and six editions of the Copa América.
In clashes involving Corinthians, Roldán was present on eight occasions. During this period, the club recorded four wins, two draws and two defeats. The referee handed out 23 yellow cards and sent off three players in the games in which he refereed the black and white team.
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Source: Timao Central