Young striker Rayan was once again decisive for Vasco in the Brazilian Championship. With another goal from the jewel, aged just 19, Cruzmaltino defeated Fluminense 2-0in the Clásico dos Gigantes this Monday (20), at Maracanã, for the 29th round of the competition.
Revealed in Vasco’s own categories, Rayan had already been fundamental in recent matches, with goals in the 4-3 victory over Vitória (twice) and in the 2-1 victory over Fortaleza. Considering this Monday’s classic, the boy found the net six times in the last six games.
Gigante da Colina reached 39 points and overtook São Paulo, taking eighth place. Fernando Diniz’s team has the third best campaign in the second round, with the same 20 points as Mirassol, behind Palmeiras (22) and Flamengo (21).
Tricolor das Laranjeiras, with 41 points, remains in seventh, one place ahead of its rival, but lost the chance to get closer to Bahia, which is in sixth, occupying the last place in the next edition of the Libertadores.
Despite pressure from Fluminense, it was Vasco who opened the scoring. In the 38th minute, after a stolen ball in the offensive field, Rayan received it from full-back Paulo Henrique at the edge of the area, turned and hit. The ball deflected off the Hércules midfielder and went out of reach of goalkeeper Fábio, who was unable to do anything. It was the striker’s 11th goal in the Brasileirão and his 16th of the season.
In the final stage, after five minutes, Rayan shot hard from outside the area. Fábio rebounded in the small area. Andrés Gómez tried to take advantage and stopped at the goalkeeper, but, as a result, fellow striker Nuno Moreira scored into an empty goal and closed the score for Vasco.
In another game on Monday night, Juventude beat Red Bull Bragantino 1-0 at the Alfredo Jaconi Stadium, in Caxias do Sul (RS).
Midfielder Peixoto scored the winning goal for the Gauchos, who reached 26 points, in 18th place, still in the relegation zone (which involves the last four placed). The São Paulo club, with 36 points, remains in tenth.
