Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Cruzeiro draw 1-1 with Corinthians at the end of the game
Eliminated from the semi-finals of the Copa do Brasil, Corinthians had a very poor game against Cruzeiro and managed to escape moments before the final whistle. Rafael Elias put Cruzeiro ahead with a goal in the 45th minute, but Mosquito’s last-minute strike for Corinthians leveled the scores. Despite Cruzeiro’s dominance in possession (55%), they only managed to convert one of their seven attempts on goal. Papagaio scored for the home side, but missed chances by Papagaio and Robert cost them the second goal. In the 96th minute, Vinicius Robert should have made it 2-0, but his shot hit the post. Unable to score, the hosts conceded in the 98th minute. Gustavo Mosquito leapt high and, with a header into the right corner, ruined Cruzeiro’s hopes of victory – 1-1.
Fluminense extend unbeaten run at home with convincing 3-1 win over América-MG
In a thrilling Serie A clash on Saturday (19), Fluminense showed their dominance at the Maracanã with an 11-game unbeaten run, beating América-MG 3-1. Before the break, Gonzalo Mastriani could have put the visitors ahead, but he hit the right post. América took the lead in the 52nd minute through Felipe Azevedo’s goal. In the sixth minute, John Kennedy leveled the score and, in the 65th minute, Cano put Fluminense ahead. In the 89th minute, Arias consolidated the hosts’ success. This win catapults Fluminense into the top four in the Brazilian Championship, with 34 points, while América-MG remain in the relegation zone. Marcelo’s early replacement by coach Fernando Diniz due to injury has compounded the challenges, while Fluminense are awaiting a crucial appeal for their participation in the Libertadores quarter-finals.
Palmeiras beats Cuiabá with goals from Veiga and Ríos
Palmeiras achieved a significant victory on Saturday night (19), in the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship, beating Cuiabá with goals from Raphael Veiga (31 min) and Richard Ríos (66 min). The win takes Verdão to 37 points in the standings. Together with Botafogo’s draw against São Paulo, Palmeiras reduced the gap to the league leaders to 11 points, leaving them in 9th place with 28 points. In the next round, Palmeiras host Vasco on Sunday 27th at the Allianz Parque, while Cuiabá visit Bragantino at the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium on the same day.
São Paulo and Botafogo draw 0-0 and the leaders hold firm
In a match valid for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship, São Paulo and Botafogo played out a goalless draw on Saturday afternoon (19). São Paulo fielded a modified team with an eye on the Copa Sudamericana, while Botafogo fielded their starters for the continental competition. Both teams had chances, with Botafogo’s pressing style forcing mistakes, and the fans amusingly expressing feelings towards Tchê Tchê, who had an exchange of glances with coach Fernando Diniz during their time at the club.Note that São Paulo, the Copa do Brasil finalists, scored two goals, in the 63rd and 79th minutes, but both were disallowed for offside. The draw keeps Botafogo top of the table with 48 points, while São Paulo are in 10th place with 28 points.
Fortaleza beat Internacional 1-0
Fortaleza continued their winning streak as visitors in the Brazilian Championship, using the “law of the ex” to secure a 1-0 victory over Internacional on Saturday afternoon (19) at Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre. In the 13th minute, Thiago Galhardo safely converted a penalty after a foul by Carlos de Pena – 0-1. The hosts managed to recover in the 24th minute, but Bruno Enrique hit the crossbar from a free-kick. The win lifted Fortaleza temporarily to 8th place in Serie A with 29 points, trailing Flamengo by just three points in the G4. Meanwhile, Internacional extended their winless streak to eight games, leaving them in 13th place on 24 points. Fortaleza host Coritiba in the next round, while Internacional face Flamengo away from home.