Author: Vishwajit Sawant
São Paulo beat Athletico-PR 2-1 with Luciano’s decisive goal
São Paulo secured a 2-1 victory over Athletico-PR in a very tight match. The Tricolor initially suffered a setback when Vítor Roque scored for Athletico-PR in the 11th minute. Gabriel Neves quickly equalized in the 19th minute with his first goal for São Paulo. In the second half, São Paulo turned the game around with Luciano’s goal in the 47th minute, thanks to a well-executed move involving Rodriguinho and Calleri. With this achievement, São Paulo climbed to fifth place in the Brazilian Championship standings with 18 points, securing a place in the G6. Athletico-PR, meanwhile, dropped to ninth place on 16 points.
Clasico between Corinthians and Santos ends abruptly due to crowd trouble
The long-awaited match between Corinthians and Santos at Vila Belmiro took an unexpected turn when the game was ended prematurely before the final whistle. 40 minutes into the second half, the Santos fans’ protests in the stands turned into fireworks being set off on the pitch. Referee Leandro Pedro Vuaden made the decision to end the match, despite there still being five minutes of additional time.
Corinthians won 2-0, giving Santos their ninth consecutive match without a win. The goals were scored by Yuri Alberto and Ruan Oliveira in the first half. The result was a relief for Corinthians, who were just one point above the relegation zone in 16th place before the game.
The excitement shown by Santos fans reflects the frustration surrounding the team’s poor form. The incident led to the players seeking shelter in the middle of the pitch, protected by security guards. Both teams ended up retreating to the dressing rooms amid chaos, with objects being thrown and fireworks continuing outside the stadium. The authorities had to intervene with pepper spray and tear gas to restore order.
Fortaleza beat Cruzeiro 1-0, extending Cruzeiro’s winning streak
Fortaleza beat Cruzeiro 1-0 in the Brazilian Championship after a ten-day break. Martín Lucero’s goal proved decisive, bringing Fortaleza closer to the top four with 17 points, while Cruzeiro continue to struggle in mid-table with 14 points and a run of seven games without a win.
Both teams struggled to execute their strategies in the first half. Despite having more possession, Cruzeiro lacked the inspiration needed to penetrate Fortaleza’s defense. Fortaleza, on the other hand, failed to take advantage of counter-attacks. Both teams missed clear chances, with Cruzeiro’s Bruno Rodrigues and Fortaleza’s Guilherme wasting opportunities.
In the second half, Cruzeiro improved, showing more determination to break through Fortaleza’s defense. However, it was Fortaleza who opened the scoring in a quick counter-attack. Substitute Caleb set up Martín Lucero with a one-on-one opportunity, which the striker converted with ease. With the defeat, Cruzeiro extended their run of seven games without a win in the Brasileirão and Copa do Brasil.
Bahia end Palmeiras’ unbeaten run with 1-0 win
Bahia beat Palmeiras 1-0 at Fonte Nova, knocking out the last unbeaten team in the Brazilian Championship. Thaciano’s goal in extra time confirmed Bahia’s victory, ending a run of eight games without a win. Palmeiras remain in second place, but risk losing second place to Flamengo and distancing themselves from league leaders Botafogo. Bahia move up to 14th place and away from the relegation zone.
The home side started the game with great intensity, causing problems for Palmeiras and dominating the attacking field. However, Palmeiras, with their experience, quickly found their footing and gained control. Despite some good chances, including a potential goal that the VAR failed to detect, Palmeiras struggled to convert their opportunities. In the second half, Palmeiras kept control of the match, but failed to find any efficiency in their attacks. Bahia defended well and almost scored on a dangerous counter-attack. Thaciano’s late goal secured victory for Bahia, ending Palmeiras’ unbeaten run.
Fluminense and Atlético-MG draw 1-1
On his debut at Atlético MG, Luis Felipe Scolari drew 1-1 with Fluminense. Atlético took the lead through an own goal from Guga, but Fluminense equalized late in the first half with a powerful shot from Samuel Xavier. The result leaves Atlético-MG in 4th place with 19 points, while Fluminense are in 5th place with 18 points. In the first half, Atlético-MG dominated and had several chances to score, while Fluminense goalkeeper Fábio made crucial saves. In the second half, both teams created chances, but neither managed to score the winning goal, resulting in a point for each side.