Internacional left the fight for the Brazilian Championship title. This Sunday (1), Colorado lost to Flamengo 3-2, at Maracanã, with live broadcast on Rádio Nacional. The stumble in the 36th round ended a streak of 16 unbeaten games for the team from Rio Grande do Sul, with 12 wins and four draws in the period.
With 65 points, Inter can reach, at most, 71 points in the next two games ahead. The leader, Botafogo, has 73 points. Glorioso, in fact, will be the Gauchos’ opponent on Wednesday (4), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Beira-Rio, in Porto Alegre. If they had won this Sunday, Colorado could reduce, in direct confrontation, the distance to Alvinegro to just two points.
Flamengo, in turn, reached 66 points and resumed third place, surpassing Inter itself. Rubro-Negro no longer had any chances of winning the title, being able to finish the competition with a maximum of 72 points if they win the last two matches.
The Cariocas built their lead in the first half. In the 28th minute, midfielder Nícolas de la Cruz took a corner from the left and defender Léo Ortiz headed it into the net. Eight minutes later, following a header from striker Gonzalo Plata, full-back Alex Sandro was left on the left and played for Michael to finish. The attacker himself scored the third at 40, taking advantage of a low cross from full-back Wesley, on the right.
Inter reacted in the second stage. In the ninth minute, Wesley received the ball from fellow striker Enner Valencia at the edge of the area, dribbled past De la Cruz and tapped in, reducing Rubro-Negro’s advantage. At 16, Valencia scored a header, but the referee ruled the Ecuadorian offside. Two minutes later, full-back Alexandro Bernabei crossed from the left and Valencia, again from the top, completed the goal, validated with the help of the video referee (VAR). Despite Colorado’s pressure, the score never changed.
All blue
If Sunday was bad for the red side of Porto Alegre, the blue half is breathing easier. At Arena do Grêmio, the home team defeated São Paulo 2-1 and practically got rid of any possibility of relegation to Series B. The Grêmio team hadn’t won in six rounds.
The gauchos reached 44 points, taking tenth place and opening six points to Criciúma, 17th placed and the team that opens the relegation zone (Z-4), but which can no longer surpass Tricolor, as it will reach, at most, , 11 victories (compared to 12 for the Immortal). Red Bull Bragantino, which occupies 18th place, with 37 points, still plays this Sunday, at 6:30 pm, against Cruzeiro, at the Nabi Abi Chedid Stadium, in Bragança Paulista (SP). If Massa Bruta does not win, Grêmio is 100% guaranteed in Série A in 2025.
São Paulo, on the other hand, was “benefited” by Botafogo’s title in the Libertadores and was guaranteed a place in the group stage of the next edition of the continent’s main tournament. Tricolor from São Paulo has 59 points and no longer loses sixth place.
Dominant, Grêmio managed to open the scoring in the 35th minute of the first half. Full-back João Pedro played with striker Yeferson Soteldo on the right and set up midfielder Franco Cristaldo to shoot a cross and open the scoring in Porto Alegre. At 45, midfielder Matías Villasanti crossed from the right and defender Ruan, trying to nullify attackers Martín Braithwaite and Alexander Aravena, ended up scoring against.
The visitors came back better after the break, balancing their actions and taking the chance after 18 minutes. Midfielder Luiz Gustavo took advantage of a corner left by Grêmio’s defense and shot first-time from the edge of the area, scoring a great goal. São Paulo pressed for a draw, but the Gauchos held on for a positive result.
