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Brasileiro: Flamengo Very Close to the Title

Bruno Romani — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:37:43 +0000

After the 37th round of Brasileirao, 4 clubs have the chance of lift the title in next week’s final round – being Flamengo the one with a hand and a half in the trophy. (A round, by the way, with 44 goals, the record of this season).

Flamengo took on Corinthians in the city of Campinas. The two clubs did what they’ve doing in this tournament. Flamengo played really well as the visitor one more time. Corinthians delivered another shameful performance. The result? 2-0 Fla, goals by Ze Roberto and Leo Moura from the spot. With that, Flamengo took from Sao Paulo the first spot.

And things for Sao Paulo were terrible. The current champs visited Goias, a side that had no high aspirations in the tournament. Sao Paulo had ball possession, but Goias was efficient. It shot 4 times and scored 4 times – goals by Vitor (great right-back), Rithelly, Fernandao and Leo Lima. Sao Paulo was able to score only two times, both through Washington. Not only Sao Paulo lost the first place, but it was passed by Inter and Palmeiras in the number of victories.

Inter visited the relegated side of Sport, and it was shocked in the first-half as Vandinho scored by the locals. The ref also ignored a penalty for Sport. In the second-half, Inter put thing back to normal. First, Kleber, trying to gain his spot back in the national team, delivered a good performance again and scored. Then, Andrezinho did what he does best. He took a free-kick and scored, sending Inter to the second spot.

Finally, Palmeiras received Atletico-MG in what promised to be a thrilling match. Palmeiras had the return of midfielder of Cleiton Xavier, and the number 10 scored the first goal. Then, Atletico tied through Diego Tardelli again. It was his 19th goal in the league, which makes him the top scorer. After that, goalie Marcos made several saves until Diego Souza scored the most amazing goal of the tournament. You have to see it. Atletico tried to tie and left spaces, which Vagner Love used to score the final goal.

With the results of the weekend, this is the top: Flamengo 64, Inter 62, Palmeiras 62, Sao Paulo 62. It can’t get better than that.

Another Club Relegated

The fight against relegation has not been less thrilling and dramatic.

First, the second side relegated is known. And it is the second side from Recife. Nautico played the battle of the desperate against Santo Andre. The final score tells you how much they fought: 5-3 for Santo Andre. Nunes, Wanderley (both twice) and Romulo scored for Santo Andre and kept the club alive. Even though with minimal chances, Santo Andre has chances of staying in the first division. Carlinhos Bala, Andersson Lessa and Nilson scored the goals for Nautico.

Fluminense, Botafogo and Coritiba are the ones trying to avoid the last spot in the zone.

Fluminense so far seems the one with less chances of relegation. Why? Because the club delivered another one of those breath taking performances, and for the first time in 27 rounds, it is not in the bottom 4. Amazing stuff. The victim this time was Vitoria, massacred at Maracana 4-0. Alan, Fred (with a beautiful long range) and Conca (twice) scored.

The victory sent Flu’s rival, Botafogo, to the relegation zone. Bota visited Atletico-PR, who still had mathematical chances of being relegated. Those chances, however, were dissipated as Wallysson and veteran Paulo Baier scored.

The club no one seems to be talking much and with great chances of being relegated is Coritiba. This Sunday, the club visited Cruzeiro and scored first through Jeci. Then, there was an blue avalanche – Henrique, Jonathan, Wellington Paulista and Eliando scored.

The bottom of the tournament is this: Fluminense 45, Coritiba 44, Botafogo 44, Santo Andre 41, Nautico 38 (relegated), Sport 31 (relegated).

Not Important

Gremio 4 – 2 Barueri: Douglas Costa, Adilson, Souza, Maxi Lopes (Gremio) and Val Baiano twice (Barueri) scored. The only important fact of this game is that Gremio finishes the tournament without a single defeat at home.

Avai 2 – 2 Santos: Cristian twice (Avai), Kleber Pereira and Paulo Henrique (Santos) scored.

“Mineirazzo”: Estudiantes Lifts Libertadores in Brazil

Bruno Romani — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:34:27 +0000

The 50th edition of Copa Libertadores had its final match tonight at the Mineirao, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. After the nil draw in Argentina, it seemed Cruzeiro, the home team, was ready to lift the third title in the competition, the first since 1997.

However, a “Mineirazzo” took place and one more time Brazilian clubs failed at home. Estudiantes de La Plata won its first title since the 68/69/70 titles.

The match started nervous. Estudiantes liked to keep ball possession, exchanging many passes. Cruzeiro tried to explore the left side of its attacking field through Wagner and Gerson Magrao. In the counter attacks, Estudiantes looked dangerous. But, in the collective imaginary of Cruzeiro fans, the victory was a matter of time. In the group stage, these two clubs played at this same stadium and Cruzeiro crushed the visitors 3-0.

As time passed by, however, reality landed on the stadium. Cruzeiro did not create the chances. And the match looked extremely good for Estudiantes. They wasted time in every possible way and kept the attack of Cruzeiro innocuous. The 3 pillars from the blue team – Wagner, Ramires and Kleberg – had no space.

When the second-half started, destiny seemed to make a turn. Cruzeiro started more aggressive and with 6 minutes midfielder Henrique scored after trying a long range that deflected on Desabato. After the goal, the second goal seemed close. Too early for anything.

Instead of keeping the pace, Cruzeiro relaxed and laid back. Estudiantes relaxed too. It kept playing its game and five minutes later Fernandes tied the game after finishing a play started by Veron. Cruzeiro collapsed. Estudiantes really relaxed. And kept fighting.

Ramires, on his last match before joining Benfica, played his worst match for Cruzeiro. His passes were poorly executed. And he did not attempt any of those runs with the ball in the right side.

Wagner, also very shy in the second half, was replaced by Athirson, who expected to play with Gerson Magrao in the left.

On the 27th mark, the 3 thousand Argentineans at Mineirao got even louder. Boselli, the top scorer of Copa Libertadores, scored his 8th using his head after Veron took the corner. Cruzeiro’s world collapsed – too many historical marks were against the home team. “The Mineirazzo” was taking place.

The last time a Brazilian club lifted Copa Libertadores beating a foreign rival was in 1999. Since then, Brazilian clubs reached the final 8 times – two of them had 2 Brazilian clubs. The other 6, Brazil lost (Palmeiras 00, Sao Caetano 02, Santos 03, Gremio 07, Fluminense 08). All defeats were in Brazil.

Also, in 07 and 08, Gremio and Fluminense eliminated Sao Paulo of the tournament. This year Cruzeiro did the same. What a spell.

Thiago Ribeiro replaced Wellington Paulista. Cruzeiro passively lost at home. The fans started to demand more passion from the team. And Cruzeiro seemed to respond. In the final 5 minutes, Cruzeiro missed 3 chances. The one that probably won’t be forgotten is when Thiago Ribeiro hit the cross bar with powerful long range.

Conducted by Veron, Estudiantes controlled the time. The clock seemed faster as they did not Cruzeiro be faster. And Veron was making history himself by lifting the title of Libertadores for the same club as his father did in the late 60’s. A beautiful family story.

When the match ended, Cruzeiro did not even look sad. They were frustrated. The club did not play well the most important match of the year. But Estudiantes was ready for this title. A club that reaches the finals of Copa Sulamericana and Copa Libertadores in a matter of 6 months is ready for the title.

And, indeed, Brazilian clubs cannot face the ones from Argentina in the final. Argentina, now, reaches 22 titles of Copa Libertadores against 13 of Brazil. The last time a Brazilian club beat an Argentinean one in the final of the continental tournament was in 1992, when Sao Paulo beat Newell’s Old Boys.

Libertadores: Cruzeiro Gives Sao Paulo the Boot

Bruno Romani — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:53:38 +0000

It was the match for the two sides prove something. Sao Paulo needed to deliver a good performance in 2009. Cruzeiro needed to deliver a good match playing away. And the two sides had important players missing, some injured, some with the national team.

The match started and soon the vibe was set. The game was mild. Sao Paulo did not create and Cruzeiro wasted time.

The home team and the fans started to get nervous. With 20 minutes in, some booing started. Sao Paulo became more violent. And Cruzeiro started to take advantage of that. Suddenly, the blue team had the midfield and got closer to the first goal.

With two minutes left in the first-half, Eduardo Costa, a portray of how the home team was lost, was yellow carded for the second time, leaving Sao Paulo short of one man.

For the second-half, Muricy Ramalho sent Dagoberto and Hernanes to the match. Yes, Hernanes, the man said to be the best player in Brazil 6 months ago, was on the bench due to his poor performances. The two replacements changed very little. Or nothing.

Cruzeiro took over the midfield, and very calmly exchanged passes. Wagner and Kleber drove the Morumbi stadium crazy. The elimination seemed a matter of time.

And with 21 minutes in. What fans of both sides expected took place. Henrique tried a long range and scored a beautiful goal. No chance for Denis.

Sao Paulo had to score 2 goals to take the match to the penalties, short of one man and without having a single shot on goal after 60 minutes. Like in the state championship semifinal against Corinthians, the team collapsed. It passively handed the ticket to the semis for Cruzeiro.

“Not my problem”, thought Cruzeiro. The visitors kept the pace, involving the defense, exchanging passes and attacking Sao Paulo. The team that wasn’t good at playing away was breaking free.

In one of those chances, defender Andre Dias jumped towards the ball in order to block it using his arm. Penalty and red card for him. With 36 minutes, Cruzeiro had the chance to close the coffin. Kleber took it and killed Sao Paulo, who for the 4th year in a row was being eliminated by another Brazilian side.

The next 10 minutes, Cruzeiro could’ve reached a historical score board, but the players showed signs of over confidence (who wouldn’t?). For Sao Paulo fans, it was time to show anger against the players and coach Muricy Ramalho, the man behind the 4 eliminations.

With the end of the game, Cruzeiro finally was back to the top 4 clubs of South America in 12 years. it will now take on Gremio, on a great Brazilian clash.