Gremio gets another 4-0 win at home
Gremio kept its excellent form of late with another impressive 4-0 home win on Wednesday, this time against Ponte Preta. The team from Porto Alegre, which had defeated Botafogo by the same score on Sunday, reached 45 points in the standings, and kept pace with Sao Paulo, which is four points ahead, with one game in hand.
More than 30,000 people showed up at the Olimpico Stadium for this pleasant afternoon game, during a local holiday in Rio Grande do Sul state. And fans were given an even better reason to feel good from the starting kickoff, with the local team simply dominating the match in all its aspects. Gremio missed a few chances at the beginning and only opened the score after 20 minutes, with Hugo. The team kept wasting good scoring chances until Hugo found Lucas, who got past a defender to make it 2-0, in the 44th minute. In the second half, the locals slowed down a bit, but still managed to score two more goals to double the score, with Herrera. The Argentine scored his first after a pass from Hugo, in the 72nd minute, and the second after a pass from Lucas, in the last minute of regulation.
The only reason the day wasn't perfect for Gremio was because leaders Sao Paulo managed an extremely important 1-0 away win over Sao Caetano to keep its four point cushion at the top of the table. The leaders were missing six regulars, but still managed to play well enough - or not as bad as Sao Caetano - in a very slow match in which both teams failed to create much. In such a game, it was only natural to see the only goal of the game being scored almost by accident, after Richarlysson attempted a cross but ended up putting the ball into the net. Fans were not complaining though, aware of the importance of the four points over Gremio just ahead of the local derby against Palmeiras, on Sunday.
The two other closest title chasers were not able to win on Wednesday, and started to desperately distance themselves from Sao Paulo. Santos managed to recover third place in the standings, but still lost two points at home after a 1-1 draw with Fluminense. Cleber Santana opened the score for the locals after a controversial penalty kick was awarded, but Fluminense tied the game near the end on an own goal by Luis Alberto, misdirecting a free kick taken by Petkovic. It was the third time in as many matches that the team lost points at home against teams from Rio de Janeiro this season. Botafogo had also tied Santos there earlier in the year, while Vasco beat them 2-0. Santos has won all its other games at home in this year's Brazilian League.
South American champions Internacional had trouble facing Figueirense away without forward Fernandao, and ended up losing by a 1-0 score. The team fell to fourth place in the standings, tied with Santos at 40 points but with a worse goal differential. The team has one game in hand though. On Wednesday, it became clear from the start that the team would miss its reference in attack with Fernandao out suspended for accumulating three yellow cards. Marquinhos Parana scored the lone goal of the game in the 26th minute, after going by goalkeeper Clemer, who stopped to ask for an offside call which simply did not occur.
In other matches, Goias opened a 2-0 lead over Atletico Paranaense at home, only to have to settle for a 2-2 draw that kept the team in the relegation zone, in 17th place. Fortaleza was not able to move ahead from 19th place either, going to Curitiba and losing to Parana 2-0. The result put the locals back in 5th place in the standings, tied with Vasco, who went to Sao Paulo and still failed to beat Corinthians, settling afor a 1-1 draw. Corinthians has not last to Vasco since 2001, winning seven matches and tying five in that span. Finally, Botafogo gained some breathing room near the relegation zone, with a 2-1 win over Juventude to jump three points ahead of Goias.
Two matches complete the 25th round on Thursday. Flamengo hosts Cruzeiro, while Palmeiras travels to Recife to face Santa Cruz.
More than 30,000 people showed up at the Olimpico Stadium for this pleasant afternoon game, during a local holiday in Rio Grande do Sul state. And fans were given an even better reason to feel good from the starting kickoff, with the local team simply dominating the match in all its aspects. Gremio missed a few chances at the beginning and only opened the score after 20 minutes, with Hugo. The team kept wasting good scoring chances until Hugo found Lucas, who got past a defender to make it 2-0, in the 44th minute. In the second half, the locals slowed down a bit, but still managed to score two more goals to double the score, with Herrera. The Argentine scored his first after a pass from Hugo, in the 72nd minute, and the second after a pass from Lucas, in the last minute of regulation.
The only reason the day wasn't perfect for Gremio was because leaders Sao Paulo managed an extremely important 1-0 away win over Sao Caetano to keep its four point cushion at the top of the table. The leaders were missing six regulars, but still managed to play well enough - or not as bad as Sao Caetano - in a very slow match in which both teams failed to create much. In such a game, it was only natural to see the only goal of the game being scored almost by accident, after Richarlysson attempted a cross but ended up putting the ball into the net. Fans were not complaining though, aware of the importance of the four points over Gremio just ahead of the local derby against Palmeiras, on Sunday.
The two other closest title chasers were not able to win on Wednesday, and started to desperately distance themselves from Sao Paulo. Santos managed to recover third place in the standings, but still lost two points at home after a 1-1 draw with Fluminense. Cleber Santana opened the score for the locals after a controversial penalty kick was awarded, but Fluminense tied the game near the end on an own goal by Luis Alberto, misdirecting a free kick taken by Petkovic. It was the third time in as many matches that the team lost points at home against teams from Rio de Janeiro this season. Botafogo had also tied Santos there earlier in the year, while Vasco beat them 2-0. Santos has won all its other games at home in this year's Brazilian League.
South American champions Internacional had trouble facing Figueirense away without forward Fernandao, and ended up losing by a 1-0 score. The team fell to fourth place in the standings, tied with Santos at 40 points but with a worse goal differential. The team has one game in hand though. On Wednesday, it became clear from the start that the team would miss its reference in attack with Fernandao out suspended for accumulating three yellow cards. Marquinhos Parana scored the lone goal of the game in the 26th minute, after going by goalkeeper Clemer, who stopped to ask for an offside call which simply did not occur.
In other matches, Goias opened a 2-0 lead over Atletico Paranaense at home, only to have to settle for a 2-2 draw that kept the team in the relegation zone, in 17th place. Fortaleza was not able to move ahead from 19th place either, going to Curitiba and losing to Parana 2-0. The result put the locals back in 5th place in the standings, tied with Vasco, who went to Sao Paulo and still failed to beat Corinthians, settling afor a 1-1 draw. Corinthians has not last to Vasco since 2001, winning seven matches and tying five in that span. Finally, Botafogo gained some breathing room near the relegation zone, with a 2-1 win over Juventude to jump three points ahead of Goias.
Two matches complete the 25th round on Thursday. Flamengo hosts Cruzeiro, while Palmeiras travels to Recife to face Santa Cruz.
posted by fejas @ 10:20 AM
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2 Comments:
At 10:23 AM,
Anonymous said…
Hello,
Any oppinion regarding Flamengo and Santa Cruz games?
At 11:25 AM,
fejas said…
Hi Radu, thanks for your visit.
Here's the updated information on the two games this Thursday. I've also updated it in the preview posted yesterday.
Cheers,
Carlos
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FLAMENGO x CRUZEIRO: After beating Botafogo and Fortaleza, Flamengo has managed to stay out of the bottom four in the standings. However, the team has not been able to pull away from the relegation zone by more than a point, which means it could return to it at any time. Fortunately for the loyal red-and-black fans, the team faces an inconsistent Cruzeiro side on Thursday at the Maracana Stadium. Despite and important 1-0 home win over Palmeiras last Sunday, the team from Belo Horizonte has lost its last six matches away from home. For the locals, Rodrigo Arroz, Leo Medeiros e Toro will play in midfield replacing Paulinho and Leo, suspended, and injured Renato Augusto. Forward Luizao returns from a game suspensio. Cruzeiro will miss defender Gladstone and midfielder Sandro, suspended, as well as left-back Leandro and his immediate substitute, Julio Cesar, injured. Defensive midfielder Jonilson and forward Elber remain out, recovering from injuries.
SANTA CRUZ x PALMEIRAS: Palmeiras travels to Recife trying to recover from the 1-0 loss away to Cruzeiro that saw the team's 11-game unbeaten streak come to an end. Santa Cruz may be the perfect opposition for that. Dead last with little chance of escaping a return to the Second Division next year, the team from Recife is on a ten-game winless streak that includes the current run of five straight losses. Forward Nene returns to the team, but three players remain out: defender Marcio Alemao, left-back Cassio and forward Edson Pele. Paulo Baier is out injured for Palmeiras, which will also be without defenders Nen and Alceu, suspended. The locals' only change in regards to the team that lost to Atletico Paranaense will be the return of defensive midfielder Augusto Recife. Surprises can always happen, of course, but this looks like it's Palmeiras game to lose.
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