Brasileiro: Palmeiras Gains New Hope
Bruno Romani | Oct 30, 2009 | Comments 0
Until the 32nd started, things looked dull for Palmeiras. There was enormous pressure and the fear that the team had just lost the Brasileiro. But after the last mid-week round of Brasileirao, things changed again. Palmeiras won and all direct rivals, but one, lost precious points. With that, the hopes of Palmeiras fans have been renewed.
On Thursday, Palmeiras received Goias pressured by the victory of Sao Paulo the day before. After the first-half, the fans were worried. Palmeiras did not play well and Goias did not score for simple details. Then, in the second-half, Obina decided to shine. The folkloric forward pulled and hat-trick. Not satisfied with it, he gave an assist for Deyvid Sacconi using his heel. A brilliant touch of the name of the entire round. The 4-0 was an statement of a team who is far from being dead. The fans have a lot to celebrate, after 4 matches of suffering.
The only rival who did not let Palmeiras go was Sao Paulo. The current champs received Inter in the match considered by the Brazilian press as the “final” of the round. This was so because both Sao Paulo and Inter are after Palmeiras and the title. Coach Mario Sergio carved an offensive attitude in the players of Inter and the visitors were more dangerous the entire match. Bosco, the reserve goalie who replaced Rogerio Ceni, saved Sao Paulo. And the home team wasn’t lucky only in its defensive lines. In the attack, Sao Paulo shot on goal twice, both with forward Washington. And one of them ended in the back of the net of Inter. Sao Paulo is still on the chase of Palmeiras (2 points behind), while Inter is stuck 5 points behind the leader. It was the first defeat of Mario Sergio ahead of Inter.
Atletico-MG and Flamengo, two sides that seemed on fire until the round started, failed against relatively easier rivals.
Flamengo visited Barueri without Petkovic, and missed its main playmaker. The club from Rio suffered in the hands of the locals, who scored through Val Baiano (nice goal by the way), and Everton (who received an assist from Val Baiano). Fla lost after 11 matches and fell to sixth in the table, having its chances of title reduced greatly.
Atletico-MG did even worse. It visited Fluminense, last side in the table, and had a unspeakable performance (not in a good way). Flu scored in the first-half from the spot with Fred, and, before the first minute of the second-half, scored the second through Conca. The Argentinean is truly one of the few players from Flu honoring the club. Minutes later, Diego Tardelli scored his 17th goal in the league (top scorer), but it wasn’t enough. Eder Luis had the chance to tie, but he shot the ball in the skies. Atletico was punished by the terrible performance with seeing Palmeiras increase the difference between the two clubs.
New force
It was clear that Cruzeiro was going to fight for a spot in the Libertadores. However, no one thought the club was going to be in 5th at this point. And Cruzeiro reached that position after a dramatic second-half at home against Santo Andre. With 13 minutes, Gilbero served Guerron to open the score. But Santo Andre did not make it easier. Four minutes later, Nunes scored a beautiful goal and tied the match. The, Santo Andre came-back with Junior Dutra. It took 10 minutes for Cruzeiro to tie again. Gilberto served the youngster Eliandro. The match seemed to be going to a breath taking draw. But Cruzeiro had one final gasp. And Thiago Ribeiro, with 2 minutes into the stoppage time, took Cruzeiro to the lead and to the 5th place in the table.
The top of Brasileirao now looks like this: Palmeiras 57, Sao Paulo 55, Atletico-MG 53, Inter 52, Cruzeiro 51, Flamengo 51.
Rio de Janeiro Breathes
if on the top two sides from Sao Paulo rule, in the bottom the two sides from Rio are giving signs that they do not want to go to second-division. Fluminense beat Atletico, whereas Botafogo beat a direct rival in the bottom four.
Bota received Nautico at home and was awarded by the referee a penalty that did not exist. Juninho took it and scored the only goal of the match.
If the sides from Sao Paulo and Rio showed force (or some reaction), the sides from Recife had a poor round. Nautico lost. And Sport just tied 1-1 at home against Coritiba (Fabiano for Sport and Ariel for Coritiba scored the goals.
This is what the bottom looks like now: Coritiba 38, Botafogo 35, Santo Andre 32, Nautico 32, Sport 30, Fluminense 30.
Not important
Three matches did not involve title nor relegation. They were:
Gremio 3 – 1 Avai: Goals by Tcheco, Maxi Lopes and Souza (Gremio); Emerson(Avai):
Vitoria 0 – 1 Corinthians: Goal by Defederico – his first at Corinthians.
Atletico-PR 1 – 1 Santos: Goals by Bruno Costa (Atletico) and Kleber Pereira (Santos)
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