Video: Palmeiras and Sport Sharing Misery

Recently, Palmeiras and Sport played some thrilling and decisive matches, with one side side usually celebrating at the end. Sport eliminated Palmeiras from Copa do Brasil. Palmeiras eliminated Sport from Libertadores – and before that they battled in the group stage.

Last night in Sao Paulo, Palmeiras and Sport tied in 2 goals for the 35th round of Brasileirao. It would’ve been a great result for Sport in normal situations. And for Palmeiras, under regular circumstances, this would’ve not been that bad, given that Sport started with a 2-0. The result, however, was terrible for both sides.

With the draw, Sport is the first Brazilian club relegated to second division next year. And that’s bad enough, especially because the club played a great Libertadores this year.

For Palmeiras, getting 1 point at this stage of the tournament was catastrophic. This match was supposed to be easiest one of the 4 remaining ones. Getting one point means that that the club that had the title so close now sees it getting far away. The club won only 6 points in the last 8 matches. Sao Paulo and Flamengo now have the chance of getting more distant from Palmeiras.

And the two sides can both complain from the referee regarding Palmeira’s second goal. The referee blew the whistle to point an offside when Danilo received the ball. He wasn’t offside. When the linesman run to confirm the goal, the referee ignored his first whistle and, with some degree of shyness, confirmed the goal. The problem is that in the first whistle Sport players stopped playing. It is the first case in history where a referee did right by making a mistake, and made a mistake by doing it right. It’s all over the Brazilian press.

Besides the philosophy of the question, the fact is that after the final whistle (I’m sorry. I could not avoid it), the two teams felt defeat. And for the first time, the two will not be able to make fun of the other.