Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Corinthians get first win under Luxemburgo and escape the relegation zone
In a thrilling match at the Arena Neo Química, Corinthians emerged victorious with a 2-0 win over Fluminense in the eighth round of the Brasileirão. Róger Guedes played a key role in securing the club’s first title under Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
Fluminense started the game as the dominant force, creating several chances to score. However, Corinthians goalkeeper Cássio showed his brilliance with crucial saves, preventing Fluminense from reaching the back of the net. Despite their defensive resilience, Corinthians struggled to generate attacking threat in the first half.
After the break, Corinthians came out revitalized and began to dictate the pace of the game. The turning point came 13 minutes into the second half, when Roni started a counter-attack, putting Bidu in at left-back. Bidu delivered a precise cross to Yuri Alberto, who played the ball for Róger Guedes to head into the goal, giving Corinthians a 1-0 lead.
Luxemburgo made an important substitution in the 73rd minute, bringing on midfielder Renato Augusto to the delight of the fans. Although Renato made a few attempts on goal, none hit the target.
As the match drew to a close, it was Róger Guedes who sealed Corinthians’ victory. Fagner, after receiving a well-executed pass from Renato Augusto, found Guedes in a position to score. Guedes tried to pass the ball to Yuri Alberto, but it ended up in the back of the net, securing a crucial second goal for Corinthians.
The win lifted Corinthians out of the relegation zone, up to 14th place with 8 points, while Fluminense are in 5th place with 13 points. The win not only provided much-needed relief for Corinthians, but also showed the impact of Róger Guedes in shaping the team’s fortunes under Luxemburgo’s guidance.
John shines in Internacional’s win over Bahia at Beira-Rio
The match took place at Beira-Rio, where Johnny and Wanderson scored Colorado’s goals. Of particular note was the excellent performance of goalkeeper John, who played a key role in the team’s triumph. With the result, Mano Menezes’ side reached 10 points, securing 12th place in the standings, while Bahia are in 16th place with seven points.
The game began with an initial threat from Internacional, with Alemão entering the area and falling down, appealing for a penalty, but the referee didn’t take any notice. Bahia responded strongly in the 15th minute, with Biel hitting the post after penetrating Inter’s defense. Throughout the first half, both teams struggled to create clear chances.
After the break, Mano Menezes decided to make a substitution, bringing on Wanderson in place of Alemão. The change proved effective as, just three minutes later, Wanderson delivered a precise cross into the area, finding Pedro Henrique, who provided a clever assist for Johnny. The midfielder converted the chance with ease, opening the scoring for Internacional.
Trailing on the scoreboard, Bahia stepped up their efforts to level the game and came close in the 30th minute when Ademir’s cross found Biel. However, John showed his exceptional goalkeeping skills, making it impossible for Bahia to score an equalizer. The pressure continued when Bahia won a corner kick, but Thaciano and the subsequent defense failed to convert the chance. John once again showed his skill in the 43rd minute, denying Biel’s goal. Meanwhile, Wanderson sealed the win for Internacional with a well-placed shot into the corner, taking advantage of a deflection in the opposition defense.
Palmeiras and Atlético-MG draw in a very tight game
The game began with Palmeiras pressing Atlético-MG’s defensive line. Rony thought he had scored with a spectacular bicycle kick, but the VAR disallowed the goal for offside. The match became increasingly physical, with the home side committing several fouls. Both teams struggled to create clear chances in the first half, and goalkeepers Weverton and Everson were rarely tested.
In the second half, the pattern continued and chances remained scarce. Atlético-MG opened the scoring in the 44th minute when Pavón took advantage of a defensive error, dribbled past Palmeiras’ defenders and confidently scored the equalizer. However, Palmeiras responded quickly in the 51st minute, when Artur delivered a precise cross for Dudu to head home the equalizer.
As the match went on, Atlético-MG took control and looked for chances to win. Palmeiras, on the other hand, adopted a more defensive approach. Both teams made substitutions in search of the decisive goal, but neither side managed to break the deadlock in the final moments. With the draw, Palmeiras maintained second place in the league standings, while Atlético-MG interrupted their run of five consecutive wins.
Santos suffer dominant defeat to Bragantino, narrowly avoiding a rout
Despite conceding a goal he could have saved, goalkeeper João Paulo played a vital role in preventing a more significant goal margin, making several impressive saves to deny Bragantino’s attacking efforts. Vitinho and Juninho Capixaba, from Bragantino, scored the goals, taking advantage of Santos’ defensive lapses and lack of quality in their marking.
After a promising start with some good chances, Santos gradually lost their intensity and allowed Bragantino to take control of the game. Sasha’s accurate cross found Vitinho unmarked, who struck the ball confidently into the corner to give Bragantino the lead in the 30th minute.
Throughout the game, Bragantino continued to dominate proceedings, creating several chances to score. A heroic performance from goalkeeper João Paulo kept the score relatively tight, stopping Eric Ramires and Helinho with crucial saves. In the second half, Bragantino extended their lead through Juninho Capixaba, who skilfully dribbled past the Santos defenders to make it 2-0 in the 75th minute. Santos’ lacklustre performance leaves much to be pondered, while Bragantino celebrate a deserved victory.
Botafogo beats América-MG and takes the lead in the Brasileirão
Botafogo wasted no time in asserting their dominance and Júnior Santos scored the second goal just three minutes into the match, taking advantage of a well-executed move involving Marlon Freitas and Di Placido. The early goal set the tone for the game, and Botafogo dictated proceedings, controlling possession and creating several chances.
Despite their dominance, Botafogo struggled to extend their lead, coming up against a strong defense and the resistance of goalkeeper Mateus Pasinato. However, their persistence paid off in the second half, when Luis Henrique received a well-placed pass from Eduardo, dribbled past Pasinato and calmly sent the ball into the goal.
Throughout the match, Botafogo kept their composure and rarely faced any real threat from América-MG. With this win, Botafogo strengthened their position at the top of the Brasileirão, 5 points ahead of their closest pursuers (Palmeiras).