Ceará goalkeeper Walter was the star of the match
Fluminense, third, beat Sao Paulo 3-1
palm treeswho won the Brazilian Championship title on Wednesday three days in advance, tied this Sunday 1-1 in his visit to Cuiabá with a saving goal from Argentine José López and increased the number of games without defeat in the League to 21.
The green team from Sao Paulo, the one with the highest number of League titles in Brazil, with eleven, reached 78 points in 36 gamesso he has an advantage of eleven units over his closest rival, Internacional (67).
Cuiabá opened the scoring after 5 minutes through Jonathan Cafú, who took advantage of a rebound from goalkeeper Weberton, and played to defend himself for the rest of the match since the victory mathematically guaranteed his permanence in the first division.
Palmeiras pressed constantly but the goalkeeper Walter, star of the match, prevented Rony and Dudú from drawing and saved at least two dangerous shots to Colombian Eduar Atuesta, who crashed another ball into the crossbar.
Verdao only got the tie in the 75th minute when José ‘el Flaco’ López took advantage of Walter’s only mistake in the game.
In another of the games this Sunday, Coritiba beat Flamengo 1-0 and, despite the fact that it continues in fifteenth place, it guaranteed its permanence in the first division, since it cannot be reached by any of those who occupy the last four places.
The Curitiba team, supported by 33,000 fans at the Couto Pereira stadium, won with a penalty goal scored in the second half by Alef Manga after an unnecessary foul by Flamengo captain Diego Ribas, who announced on Saturday that he will retire at the end of the Brazilian Championship.
flamingowho fielded a team of substitutes after winning his third Copa Libertadores title last week in Ecuador, remained in fifth place with 61 points, and practically gave up the possibility of fighting for second place.
The Rio de Janeiro team has already guaranteed its spot in next year’s Libertadores.
Also this Sunday Atlético Goianiense, struggling to get out of the last four places and is seriously threatened with relegation, tied at home 1-1 in his visit to Fortaleza.
The visitors opened the scoring through Luiz Fernando but the Venezuelan Rómulo Otero guaranteed the draw for Fortaleza, which is tenth and still has the possibility of obtaining the last available spot for the Libertadores.
The fans of Fortaleza, with projections and a mosaic in the standstook advantage of the game to pay tribute to his coach, the Argentine Juan Pablo Vodvojaand ask him to remain in command next year.
in Saturday’s gamesInternational, Fluminense and Corinthiansthe immediate escorts of Palmeiras, won and maintained the dispute for second place.
Inter beat Athletico Paranaense 2-0 and is second with 67 points, ten away from the champion Palmeiras.
Fluminense, third, beat Sao Paulo 3-1with three goals from the Argentine Germán Cano, leader in the scorers classification with 24 goals.
And Corinthians beat Ceará 1-0 and remained fourth with 64 points, the same as Fluminense, which is third for having the highest number of victories and the best balance of goals.
Palmeiras, Inter, Fluminense, Corinthians and Flamengo have already guaranteed direct places in the Libertadores and the sixth is provisionally held by Athletico Paranaensewhich, with 54 points, still runs the risk of being evicted by América (52), Atlético Mineiro (52), São Paulo (51) or Fortaleza (49).
Avaí and Juventude no longer have a mathematical chance of continuing in the first divisionand the fight to avoid relegation is limited to Cuiabá, Ceará and Atlético Goianiense, of which only one can be saved.
