Another extremely exciting weekend in the Campeonato. Not many finger nails left in Brazil.
Leaders Corinthians were surprisingly held to 1-1 at Vitoria. Or was it a surprise? Although Vitoria drop into the bottom four, they are there only because they have scored less goals than Avai in 16th and Atletico-GO in 15th. All three have 40 points.
Fluminense, with an emphatic 4-1 win away at Sao Paulo, regain top spot from Corinthians by one point. Cruzeiro, in third spot with 63 points, are still in with a chance of the title.
Down at the bottom it’s Goias, Goias…. Gone. A 4-1 defeat at home to Santos condemns them to Serie B along with already relegated Gremio Prudente. Flamengo on 43 points and Atletico-MG on 42 still need points to ensure safety.
Gremio took Atletico-PR’s fourth place in the championship table with a convincing 3-1 home win. Nineteen rounds ago Gremio were in the relegation zone so coach Renato Gaucho has pulled them up by the boot laces.
Gremio dominated the early skirmishes, Neto saving from Andre Lima and Lucius before they deservedly took the lead. Influential Douglas knocked the ball up to Andre Lima who head down for defender Neuton to open the scoring from inside the box in the thirteenth minute.
Five minutes later, still in dreamland from scoring, Neuton brought down Guerron in his own penalty area. The dependable Paulo Baier fired an unstoppable shot down the middle from the spot to make it 1-1.
In the second half Gremio began to resume their early dominance. Douglas, pilloried by fans in mid-week for his mistake that led to Argentina’s winning goal against the national team, had a hand in most of Gremio’s good work and he stood up to slot home a penalty after Rochemback had been brought down, sending Neto the wrong way. 2-1.
More Gremio pressure continued until two minutes from time when Diego cut in and scored with a low, left-footed shot to make the final score 3-1.
Prudente, already relegated, fought out a dour draw with Ceara still in the market for points to confirm a place in Sudamericana. Only 842 fans turned up. Maybe they knew something in advance or, more likely, they didn’t.
Early on Michel Alves, in goal for the visitors, stretched to keep out a good shot from Joao Vitor but with Ceara crowding the midfield it was a stalemate. However, with 27 minutes gone, Adriano with some good work on the left, fed Rhayner in the area who dragged the ball across and fired in a fierce left foot shot inside Michel Alves’ right hand post.
Coaches, Fabio Guintini of Prudente and Ceara’s Dimas Filgueras, brought on their substitutes at half time to liven things up a little. But that’s all it did.
It wasn’t until 37 minutes into the second half that Marcelo Oliveira was tripped in the penalty area but Willan Jose’s effort was saved by Michel Alves. Then Marcelo Oliveira got into the act again, this time fouling Magno Alves in his penalty area.
Geraldo took the opportunity to beat goalkeeper Sidney to tie the scores at 1-1. A red card for Ceara’s Joao Marcos was perhaps the most colorful part of the game.
Coach Vanderlei Luxembourg had gone for a more experienced line-up to ensure the points still needed to avoid relegation. So too Guarani who already started the day in the bottom four.
Flamengo started well and after only 2 minutes Deivid was fouled 35 yards out. From the free kick Renato bent the ball around the defensive wall, the ball curling into the top corner of Emerson’s left hand post giving the goalkeeper no chance.
This inspired Guarani to fight back and they were rewarded in the thirteenth minute when Baiano hit a speculative shot that Marcelo Lomba in Flamengo’s goal should have saved but didn’t. 1-1.
Diego Mauricio, originally left out by coach Luxembourg, replaced Deivid on 21 minutes, struggling with his right ankle from the earlier foul. And it proved a valuable substitution as he put Flamengo back in front after 33 minutes. Diogo had tried to dribble in the penalty area but the ball had squirmed out to Diego’s feet and he calmly slotted home.
Desperate to regain the top spot Fluminense started briskly and proved the hungrier team. Still, it took until 35 minutes for Fluminense to take the lead. After a corner of the right Gum stuck his head in to knock it home.
In the second half, against the run of play, the ball was played into the six yard box from the right and Lucas Gaucho cleverly back-heeled the ball past Ricardo Berna in the Fluminense goal to make it 1-1.
Conca, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box slotted home a left foot shot to restore a Fluminense lead after 29 minutes of the second half.
Now it was all Fluminense as they sensed the necessary win. Three minutes later Conca unleashed a thunderbolt from outside the box that was too hot for Sao Paulo’s keeper Rogerio Ceni to hold.
Fred, following up, knocked in the rebound to make it 3-1. Sao Paulo were out of the game by now and Conco finished things off with his second and Fluminense’s fourth two minutes from time.
Botafogo still harboring hopes of a place in the top four came up against an Internacional team in eighth place who were hoping to improve their own position. An open game saw chances at either end some of which should have been taken.
However, it wasn’t until the second half that anybody troubled the scorers. Andrezinho opened the scoring for the visitors twenty minutes in, hitting a strong shot just inside Jefferson’s bottom right hand post.
Nine minutes later Rafael Sobis increased the Internacional lead. With acres of space in the home side’s six yard box he casually slid the ball into the bottom left of the net.
A minute later Botafogo pulled one back through Antonio Carlos who took advantage of a knock down to score from close in. But it’s another setback for Botafogo who are letting things slip.
Palmeiras’ coach Luis Felipe Scolari, still reeling from being hit on the head in mid-week by a transistor radio, was stunned again when he heard that Ray Wilkins, his assistant at Chelsea in the English Premier League had been sacked. Maybe this clouded his reasoning as he fielded an under strength team against Atletico-MG. Or maybe he just wanted to check out his youngsters especially as he has a Sulamericana semi-final coming up against Goias.
Atletico-MG, still not safe from relegation, came to win the points and that’s just what they did. A thirtieth minute first half goal from Diego Souza calmed their nerves and they dominated the game.
In the second half Bruno, in the Palmeiras goal, only managed to push out a shot into the path of Neto Berola after 32 minutes. The striker cleverly hit the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle to secure the points for the visitors.
League leaders Corinthians needed the three points here. They didn’t get them. Relegation threatened Vitoria, on home soil, needed the three points also. They didn’t get them either.
Danilo opened the scoring for Corinthians in the first half with a goal on the 20 minute mark. He received the ball from Roberto Carlos, played a one-two with Ronaldo and placed the ball into the upper right hand corner of Vitoria’s goal past keeper Viafara.
Vitoria were making a fight of it and deservedly drew level after 43 minutes when referee Carlos Eugenio Simon judged that Ralf had handled the ball in the area. It was a clear penalty despite the inevitable protests.
Goalkeeper Viafara strolled up field and took the penalty himself sending a shot down the middle past his opposite number Julio Cesar to level the score 1-1. In the second half both teams looked for the winner but Vitoria were able to cope with the Corinthians’ goal threats and a draw was a fair result.
Both teams needed the points badly and, after this result both are on 40 points just outside the drop zone. Tensions were tight and, at one point, the police had to come on to the pitch to calm tempers.
It wasn’t surprising that someone would see red and that dubious honor came to Atletico-GO’s Thiago Felti, sent off for a second yellow after 39 minutes of the first half. A minute later Avai struck, Eltinho putting them one up knocking one in that Marcio failed to hold.
The second half saw Atletico-GO subdued but Avai failed to take advantage until Jeferson came on for Rudnei. He then scored twice in three minutes towards the end to make the points safe for Avai.
Cruzeiro are still in with a shout of the championship, just two points off the top, and easily dismissed Vasco who remain in 11th place on 46 points.
Three first half goals put the game out of reach. Roger, who was controlling the midfield, scored the first himself after sixteen minutes with Henrique adding a second three minutes later. A third from Edcarlos after thirty two minutes put the game beyond doubt.
Although Renato Augusto pulled one back just before the break there was only going to be one winner. Now Cruzeiro go into the last two games with high hopes.
A thunder storm put paid to the stadium electrics before the game which started thirty minutes late. It set the tone for home side Goias who, with a cup semi-final against Palmeiras to think about, lacked a certain spark.
Having said that they took the lead through Ernando in the eleventh minute before Danilo squared it at 1-1 eight minutes later. The second half belonged to the immensely talented Neymar who scored a hat-trick.
The first was from a penalty after he was felled in the area by Rafael Toloi. He received the ball from the right for his second, lined it up and fired it into the right hand corner. The third was a deft touch past beleaguered Goias keeper Harlei.
Fluminense, with an emphatic 4-1 win away at Sao Paulo, regain top spot from Corinthians by one point. Cruzeiro, in third spot with 63 points, are still in with a chance of the title.
Down at the bottom it’s Goias, Goias…. Gone. A 4-1 defeat at home to Santos condemns them to Serie B along with already relegated Gremio Prudente. Flamengo on 43 points and Atletico-MG on 42 still need points to ensure safety.
Gremio took Atletico-PR’s fourth place in the championship table with a convincing 3-1 home win. Nineteen rounds ago Gremio were in the relegation zone so coach Renato Gaucho has pulled them up by the boot laces.
Gremio dominated the early skirmishes, Neto saving from Andre Lima and Lucius before they deservedly took the lead. Influential Douglas knocked the ball up to Andre Lima who head down for defender Neuton to open the scoring from inside the box in the thirteenth minute.
Five minutes later, still in dreamland from scoring, Neuton brought down Guerron in his own penalty area. The dependable Paulo Baier fired an unstoppable shot down the middle from the spot to make it 1-1.
In the second half Gremio began to resume their early dominance. Douglas, pilloried by fans in mid-week for his mistake that led to Argentina’s winning goal against the national team, had a hand in most of Gremio’s good work and he stood up to slot home a penalty after Rochemback had been brought down, sending Neto the wrong way. 2-1.
More Gremio pressure continued until two minutes from time when Diego cut in and scored with a low, left-footed shot to make the final score 3-1.
Prudente, already relegated, fought out a dour draw with Ceara still in the market for points to confirm a place in Sudamericana. Only 842 fans turned up. Maybe they knew something in advance or, more likely, they didn’t.
Early on Michel Alves, in goal for the visitors, stretched to keep out a good shot from Joao Vitor but with Ceara crowding the midfield it was a stalemate. However, with 27 minutes gone, Adriano with some good work on the left, fed Rhayner in the area who dragged the ball across and fired in a fierce left foot shot inside Michel Alves’ right hand post.
Coaches, Fabio Guintini of Prudente and Ceara’s Dimas Filgueras, brought on their substitutes at half time to liven things up a little. But that’s all it did.
It wasn’t until 37 minutes into the second half that Marcelo Oliveira was tripped in the penalty area but Willan Jose’s effort was saved by Michel Alves. Then Marcelo Oliveira got into the act again, this time fouling Magno Alves in his penalty area.
Geraldo took the opportunity to beat goalkeeper Sidney to tie the scores at 1-1. A red card for Ceara’s Joao Marcos was perhaps the most colorful part of the game.
Coach Vanderlei Luxembourg had gone for a more experienced line-up to ensure the points still needed to avoid relegation. So too Guarani who already started the day in the bottom four.
Flamengo started well and after only 2 minutes Deivid was fouled 35 yards out. From the free kick Renato bent the ball around the defensive wall, the ball curling into the top corner of Emerson’s left hand post giving the goalkeeper no chance.
This inspired Guarani to fight back and they were rewarded in the thirteenth minute when Baiano hit a speculative shot that Marcelo Lomba in Flamengo’s goal should have saved but didn’t. 1-1.
Diego Mauricio, originally left out by coach Luxembourg, replaced Deivid on 21 minutes, struggling with his right ankle from the earlier foul. And it proved a valuable substitution as he put Flamengo back in front after 33 minutes. Diogo had tried to dribble in the penalty area but the ball had squirmed out to Diego’s feet and he calmly slotted home.
Desperate to regain the top spot Fluminense started briskly and proved the hungrier team. Still, it took until 35 minutes for Fluminense to take the lead. After a corner of the right Gum stuck his head in to knock it home.
In the second half, against the run of play, the ball was played into the six yard box from the right and Lucas Gaucho cleverly back-heeled the ball past Ricardo Berna in the Fluminense goal to make it 1-1.
Conca, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box slotted home a left foot shot to restore a Fluminense lead after 29 minutes of the second half.
Now it was all Fluminense as they sensed the necessary win. Three minutes later Conca unleashed a thunderbolt from outside the box that was too hot for Sao Paulo’s keeper Rogerio Ceni to hold.
Fred, following up, knocked in the rebound to make it 3-1. Sao Paulo were out of the game by now and Conco finished things off with his second and Fluminense’s fourth two minutes from time.
Botafogo still harboring hopes of a place in the top four came up against an Internacional team in eighth place who were hoping to improve their own position. An open game saw chances at either end some of which should have been taken.
However, it wasn’t until the second half that anybody troubled the scorers. Andrezinho opened the scoring for the visitors twenty minutes in, hitting a strong shot just inside Jefferson’s bottom right hand post.
Nine minutes later Rafael Sobis increased the Internacional lead. With acres of space in the home side’s six yard box he casually slid the ball into the bottom left of the net.
A minute later Botafogo pulled one back through Antonio Carlos who took advantage of a knock down to score from close in. But it’s another setback for Botafogo who are letting things slip.
Palmeiras’ coach Luis Felipe Scolari, still reeling from being hit on the head in mid-week by a transistor radio, was stunned again when he heard that Ray Wilkins, his assistant at Chelsea in the English Premier League had been sacked. Maybe this clouded his reasoning as he fielded an under strength team against Atletico-MG. Or maybe he just wanted to check out his youngsters especially as he has a Sulamericana semi-final coming up against Goias.
Atletico-MG, still not safe from relegation, came to win the points and that’s just what they did. A thirtieth minute first half goal from Diego Souza calmed their nerves and they dominated the game.
In the second half Bruno, in the Palmeiras goal, only managed to push out a shot into the path of Neto Berola after 32 minutes. The striker cleverly hit the ball into the roof of the net from an acute angle to secure the points for the visitors.
League leaders Corinthians needed the three points here. They didn’t get them. Relegation threatened Vitoria, on home soil, needed the three points also. They didn’t get them either.
Danilo opened the scoring for Corinthians in the first half with a goal on the 20 minute mark. He received the ball from Roberto Carlos, played a one-two with Ronaldo and placed the ball into the upper right hand corner of Vitoria’s goal past keeper Viafara.
Vitoria were making a fight of it and deservedly drew level after 43 minutes when referee Carlos Eugenio Simon judged that Ralf had handled the ball in the area. It was a clear penalty despite the inevitable protests.
Goalkeeper Viafara strolled up field and took the penalty himself sending a shot down the middle past his opposite number Julio Cesar to level the score 1-1. In the second half both teams looked for the winner but Vitoria were able to cope with the Corinthians’ goal threats and a draw was a fair result.
Both teams needed the points badly and, after this result both are on 40 points just outside the drop zone. Tensions were tight and, at one point, the police had to come on to the pitch to calm tempers.
It wasn’t surprising that someone would see red and that dubious honor came to Atletico-GO’s Thiago Felti, sent off for a second yellow after 39 minutes of the first half. A minute later Avai struck, Eltinho putting them one up knocking one in that Marcio failed to hold.
The second half saw Atletico-GO subdued but Avai failed to take advantage until Jeferson came on for Rudnei. He then scored twice in three minutes towards the end to make the points safe for Avai.
Cruzeiro are still in with a shout of the championship, just two points off the top, and easily dismissed Vasco who remain in 11th place on 46 points.
Three first half goals put the game out of reach. Roger, who was controlling the midfield, scored the first himself after sixteen minutes with Henrique adding a second three minutes later. A third from Edcarlos after thirty two minutes put the game beyond doubt.
Although Renato Augusto pulled one back just before the break there was only going to be one winner. Now Cruzeiro go into the last two games with high hopes.
A thunder storm put paid to the stadium electrics before the game which started thirty minutes late. It set the tone for home side Goias who, with a cup semi-final against Palmeiras to think about, lacked a certain spark.
Having said that they took the lead through Ernando in the eleventh minute before Danilo squared it at 1-1 eight minutes later. The second half belonged to the immensely talented Neymar who scored a hat-trick.
The first was from a penalty after he was felled in the area by Rafael Toloi. He received the ball from the right for his second, lined it up and fired it into the right hand corner. The third was a deft touch past beleaguered Goias keeper Harlei.
