The faith of the Palmeiras fan was placed to the test on Sunday (5). First, when seeking an epic turn against Sao Paulo at Morumbis 3-2, after going to the interval losing 2-0. Then, due to the need for a defeat of Flamengo to Bahia, in a confrontation in which the red-black has taken the best in the last ten games. And the carioca stumbling block came: Triumph of the steel squad 1-0 in Salvador. In the end, everything worked out for Verdon, who took the lead of the Brazilian Championship.
Palmeiras started the round with 52 points, three less than Flamengo. In case of victory in the classic, the alviverdes would match the red-black and would stay ahead for the first tiebreaker criterion, which is the number of victories (17 to 16). It would be missing, however, that the Rio team lost their commitment for the 27th round. Any other result – triumph or draw – would keep the Rio de Janeiro team at the end.
At Morumbis, strikers Luciano and Gonzalo Tápia shook the nets in the first half and could have secured São Paulo’s first victory over Palmeiras as the mastermind for Brasileirão since 2017. Everything has changed in the final stage, marked by much contestation of Tricolor.
The owners of the house complained of a penalty by midfielder Palmeirense Allan on Tapia, six minutes, which was not marked by referee Ramon Abatti Abel. Four minutes later, a lack of Andreas Pereira on the expulsion, sock Marcos Antônio, resulted in a yellow card for the Alviverde midfielder, to the desperation of the São Paulo, who demanded direct red.
The tide turned to Palmeiras 24 minutes, when Vitor Roque, headed, diminished the advantage. At 28, also striker Flaco Lopez received at the entrance of the area and kicked cross in the corner of goalkeeper Rafael. Finally, at 43 minutes, midfielder Aníbal Moreno launched in the area and striker Ramon Sosa decreed the turn.
Verdon was 55 points, taking first place provisionally. São Paulo, parked at 38 points, lost the chance to approach Mirassol, sixth placed with 43 points and last team in the classification zone for Libertadores, the so-called G-6.
Bahia knocks Flamengo
The attention of the title fight, then, turned to the Arena Fonte Nova betting house in Salvador. The first half was for the Flamengo fan to forget – and Palmeiras thanked. At 12 minutes, defender Danilo raised his foot too much and hit striker James, being expelled.
Shortly before the break, at 44, the midfielder Jean Lucas shared with defender Cleiton, who replaced center forward Pedro as soon as the red-black was one less, and striker Willian José sent to the networks of the area, opening the scoring to Bahia.
In the second half, Tricolor had a goal from midfielder Michel Araújo annulled by impediment, with the aid of VAR. Flamengo, however, had little to celebrate. Striker Wallace Yan, who took the field after 22 minutes in place of midfielder Giorgian de Arrascaeta, lasted less than 11 minutes in the match. At 31, he took yellow by complaint. In the next move, he hit striker Gilberto and was expelled, leaving the red-black with two less men.
Philip Luís’s team found no strength to react and suffered the third defeat in Brasileirão. This, in particular, cost the lead. Already Bahia went to the same 43 points of Botafogo, but is behind, fifth, for having a goal of goals lower than the Glorioso.
Vasco and Fortaleza saw
In another match this Sunday, highlight to Vasco’s dramatic triumph over Vitória, 4-3, in São Januário, broadcast live by National radio. Cruzmaltino came out ahead with Nuno Moreira, but took the turn in the first half with goals from also striker Aitor Cantalapiedra and defender Lucas Halter.
In the second stage, young striker Rayan scored twice, one of them penalty, and returned the cariocas ahead. The back Raúl Cáceres equaled almost in the sequence. In additions, striker GB, another hill, defined the scoring in Rio de Janeiro.
With 33 points, Vasco opened eight points for Vitória himself, the first team in the relegation zone, which brings together the four worst campaign clubs – the so -called Z -4. The red-black has suffered the fourth defeat in the last five matches for the competition.
Who also won was Fortaleza. In a confrontation at the bottom of the table, Lion do Pici surpassed the youth 2-1, at the turn, at Alfredo Jaconi Stadium, in Caxias do Sul (RS). Striker Rafael Bilu opened for the gauchos, but the side Eros Mancuso (son of former Argentine midfielder Alejandro Mancuso, who acted for Palmeiras and Flamengo in the 1990s) and striker Adam Bareiro secured the triumph of Cearenses.
Both teams remain in Z-4. Fortaleza went to 24 points, in 18th position, surpassing the youth itself, which follows with 23 points.
