Brasileiro Round-Up: Flamengo Lead By A Nose Heading Into Final Game

Sunday, 29th November

Palmeiras 3 - 1 Atlético Mineiro

Grêmio 4 - 2 Grêmio Barueri

Atlético Paranaense 2 - 0 Botafogo

Cruzeiro 4 - 1 Coritiba

Corinthians 0 - 2 Flamengo

Sport Recife 1 - 2 Internacional

Santo André 5 - 3 Náutico

Avaí 2 - 2 Santos

Goiás 4 - 2 São Paulo

Fluminense 4 - 0 Vitória

Palmeiras 3 - 1 Atlético Mineiro

Palmeiras put a bad week behind them in the best way possible with a home win against Atlético Mineiro. The win keeps the Verdão in the hunt for the title heading into the last game of the season.

All three of Palmeiras’ goals came in the first half and the deadlock was broken in the opening minute by Cleiton Xavier. Diego Tardelli did put the visitors back on level terms with his 19th goal of the domestic campaign but parity did not last for long.

The win was wrapped up by a strike from Diego Souza shortly after Tardelli’s equaliser and then by Vagner Love marking his return to the first team with a well taken goal.

Palmeiras now head into their last game of the season with relegation threatened Botafogo knowing that a win will give them a chance of winning the league. The defeat for Atlético Mineiro means they can now forget about Copa Libertadores football next season but they will still have a say in where the title heads as they play São Paulo on the final day.

Grêmio 4 - 2 Grêmio Barueri

The two Grêmio’s served up an entertaining game and it was the home side who walked away with the all the spoils as they continue their strong finish to the season.

A goal from starlet Douglas Costa was added to by Adilson and Souza to give the hosts a 3-0 lead at the interval. There were a few panicky moments for the home crowd however as Val Baiano brought the visitors back into the contest with his 16th and 17th goals of the season in the second half.

The seal was eventually put on the home win by the Argentine Maxi Lopez in second half injury time.

Although the hosts will have to settle for finishing the season with a spot in the Copa Sudamericana all eyes will be on their final game of the season when they host league leaders Flamengo. Barueri will look to cement their place in next year’s Copa Sudamericana when they host Atlético Paranaense on the final day.

Atlético Paranaense 2 - 0 Botafogo

A home win confirms Atlético Paranaense’s place in Brazil’s top flight next season but defeat for Botafogo pushes them into the bottom four.

Both sides attacked from the off in this one and prior to Wallyson breaking the deadlock in favour of the hosts after 40 minutes the two side spurned a number of chances. By the time Paulo Baier doubled the host’s advantage in the second half however Botafogo were looking bereft of ideas.

While Atlético Paranaense now go to Barueri next weekend to try and scrape into the Copa Sudamericana Botafogo must get at least a point at home to title chasing Palmeiras and hope that other results go their way.

Cruzeiro 4 - 1 Coritiba

Cruzeiro did enough on their own patch to keep alive their dreams for qualifying for next year’s Copa Libertadores while defeat does little to ease Coritiba’s relegation worries.

Jeci gave the visitors an early lead but it was Cruzeiro who went in for half time 2-1 up after goals from Henrique and Jonathan. Two goals in ten second half minutes from Wellington Paulista and Eliandro put the game to bed.

Cruzeiro now know that they must beat Santos away on the last day and hope that São Paulo or Palmeiras don’t win if they are to bring home Copa Libertadores football for next season. Meanwhile next weekend Coritiba play the very definition of a relegation six pointer when they host Fluminense.

Corinthians 0 - 2 Flamengo

Flamengo were this weekend’s big winners in Brazil as they not only guaranteed their passage to next year’s Copa Libertadores but also put themselves within touching distance of the title.
The pre-match hype centred on Ronaldo and Adriano lining up against each other but the latter did not make it onto the pitch while the former was withdrawn with an injury early in the first half.

Instead the goals came through a first half strike from Zé Roberto and a penalty from Leo Moura late in the second half. The penalty decision depressed one home fan who ran onto the pitch and confronted a few of Flamengo’s players.

With the result the title is now Flamengo’s to lose as they sit two points clear from their rivals going into the last game. Corinthians meanwhile continue to cruise in midtable after booking their place in next year’s Copa Libertadores earlier thanks to winning the Copa du Brasil.

Sport Recife 1 - 2 Internacional

The third win on the bounce for Internacional shot them up to second in the league as they came away from already relegated Sport Recife with all three points.

A goal from Vandinho gave already doomed Sport a surprising half time lead but normal service was resumed when Kleber put Internacional back on level terms with 20 minutes to play.

The visitors threw everything at bottom placed Sport in search of a winner and were eventually rewarded seven minutes from time with Andrezinho’s goal.

The maths is simple for Internacional, if they win at home to Santo André next weekend and Flamengo fail to beat Grêmio then the title is theirs. The maths is also simple for Sport as they sit 13 points from safety with one game left to play.

Santo André 5 - 3 Náutico

The home side ran out the winners in this relegation dogfight to confirm Náutico’s relegation to Serie B and keep the host’s own dream of survival alive going into the final day.

The first of the game’s eight goals was bagged by Nunes in the third minute and Santo André’s advantage was doubled by Wanderley before Carlinhos Bala pulled one back for the visitors. Wanderley made it a brace to give the hosts a 3-1 lead at half time and Romulo made it four on the hour mark. Anderson Lessa’s goal made it 4-2 before Nunes made it a pair for the day meaning Nilson’s goal ten minutes from time for Náutico was merely a consolation effort.

Náutico head home knowing that they will be playing their football in Serie B next season while Santo André travel to Internacional believing they can still survive.

Avaí 2 - 2 Santos

A score draw was a fair reflection of this contest between these two midtable clubs who both must be thinking how they can improved ahead of next season.

A brace from Cristian inside the first ten minutes gave the home side a healthy lead and it looked for a time as if it would be an easy day at the office for the hosts. The comfort zone was erased on the half hour mark when Kléber Pereira pulled on back for Santos.

Despite Adaílton being given his marching orders after picking up his second yellow in the second half Santos never looked totally out of the contest after pulling one back. Eventually it was Paulo Henrique Lima’s equaliser a minute from time that made this fixture the only draw of the Brazilian top flight’s penultimate round.

After slipping back from an unlikely challenge on the Copa Libertadores places Avai can still look forward to Copa Sudamericana football next year. Santos still have a little work to do in their final game at home to Cruzeiro of they are to join Avai in that competition in 2010.

Goiás 4 - 2 São Paulo

The league leaders going into the weekend suffered a massive fall from grace as they went down to defeat on their visit to Goiás.

Things seemed to be going well for São Paulo when Washington gave them the lead on 15 minutes but the home side came back strongly. Goals from Vitor, Rithely and Fernandão gave the hosts a 3-1 advantage with 20 minutes to play. Despite Washington getting his second of the night to bring São Paulo back into the game Léo Lima’s goal a minute later meant the points would definitely not be leaving Goiás.

São Paulo must now win their last game at home away to bottom club Sport Recife and hope that other results go their way if they are to win the league. Goiás meanwhile have only pride to play for in their last game of the season against Vitória.

Fluminense 4 - 0 Vitória

Fluminense kept up their remarkable domestic form to finally ease out of the relegation spots thank this big win against Vitória.

The home side managed to put the disappointment for their massive midweek defeat to Liga De Quito in the Copa Sudamericana out of their minds as they went on the rampage against Vitória. Fluminense were 2-0 up after five minutes thanks to goals from Alan and Fred. A second half pair from Conca sealed the win while the hosts had Diguinho sent off and the visitors had Fábio Ferreira and Leandrao dismissed.

Fluminense now have the chance to complete their survival mission when they travel to Coritiba next weekend. Vitória are still not completely safe from relegation themselves and will be looking to get something out of their last game of the season against Goiás.