Yaya Toure and Botafogo: a soap opera story that reveals much about Brazilian football's jumbled priorities

“Botafogo is no place for cowards,” said Ricardo Rotenberg, pointedly.

The flirtation between the club and Yaya Touré lasted three months, but that was the end of it. Touré had pledged his future to Vasco da Gama, then turned his back on them, too.

But the most interesting part of this twisted novela was not what it says about Touré's career choices, but what it says about the Brazilian game. (Spoiler: nothing good.)

Read my piece on the affair on The Athletic. 

Diary of an unlikely hero: Meet Botafogo cult favourite Camilo, the best player in Brazil at the moment

He doesn't look like a hero. He's short, stumpy, has a scrunched-up face and the kind of haircut that should have been left in the last millennium.

He doesn't sound like a star. He's 30 and has never played for his country. His CV is that of a ten-a-penny Brazilian journeyman, elevated above the mundane only by spells in China and Saudi Arabia. They didn't go very well. He has all the global cachet of the salt shaker in your cupboard.

Appearances can be deceiving, though, for this is the best player in Brazil at the moment. Meet Fernando Camilo Farias (Camilo to his friends),  full-time cult figure and the creative force behind Botafogo's unlikely ascent to the upper echelons of the Campeonato Brasileiro.

Read the rest of this piece on the WhoScored website.

Five players who could shape the battle against relegation in the Campeonato Brasileiro

Finally, after over a year of utter dominance, it looked as though Cruzeiro may have company at the top of the Campeonato Brasileiro table. The reigning champions were defeated 2-0 last weekend by São Paulo, who then proceeded to lose to relegation candidates Coritiba, moving back to seven points adrift going into the final three months of the season. However, without wishing to jinx anything before it materialises, we may still have a title race on our hands.

But while things are beginning to simmer at one end of the table, there’s a full-scale battle royale raging at the other. The scrap against relegation could hardly be more dramatic: while Flamengo appear to have done enough to stave off the threat, everyone from Figueirense down will be fighting to the death from here on in.

With margins so small, things really could be settled by a few hardy warriors. For WhoScored, I have picked out five players who could shape the relegation battle in Brazil.

A thousand times yes: Meet Túlio Maravilha, the 44-year-old striker who never gave up

As final chapters go, it perhaps wasn’t quite the glamorous affair he had spent so many years dreaming about. No Globo television cameras. No Maracanã. No Botafogo shirt. No, this was destined to happen here, on this bumpy scrubland pitch so typical of the footballing hinterland that operates a few levels and a few light years below the glitz of the Seleção.

But for Túlio Maravilha, nothing else mattered but the numbers. For days and months and years and decades he had counted. One more here. Two more there. Tick followed tock followed tick followed tock. Even if the passage of time had begun to make a mockery of his nickname, he would never admit it.

Even at 44, bones creaking and hair thinning, he was still Túlio the Marvel. And he still had history to make.

Read the rest of this article, on the latest man to join Brazilian football's prestigious 1000 club, on the Yahoo! Eurosport site.

Brazil bids farewell to Clarence Seedorf, King of Rio

In the October issue of Brazilian football magazine Placar, 28 prominent journalists were asked which player – of all those plying their trade in the Campeonato Brasileiro – they would bring to their team if they could.

One chose Alexandre Pato. One plumped for Andrés D’Alessandro. Two picked Zé Roberto; ditto Elias. Four went for Alex.

14 chose Clarence Seedorf.

“He brings something to a club as a whole, not just the team,” purred commentator Paulo Vinícius Coelho. Erich Beting, another member of the panel, was more explicit: “He is a leader and has a wealth of experience that no one else in Brazil can match.”

Such giddy plaudits have been de rigueur since the Dutchman stunned the world by joining Botafogo in 2012. But they ultimately proved insufficient to bind him to his new home. On Tuesday, Seedorf announced that he was hanging up his boots – six months before the end of his contract – in order to manage Milan.

Read the rest of this piece on the Yahoo! Eurosport website.

Silver surfers: Why finishing second in Série A would be a great achievement for Botafogo

The Brazilian championship used to be decided by a final. Every season ended with the kind of play-off system that would be immediately familiar to fans of American sports, meaning a team that finished as low as eighth in the actual league stage could walk away with the title.

That system lasted until 2003, when the system of pontos corridos (literally 'running points') was finally adopted. It didn't please everyone. Many still yearn for the end-of-season excitement the play-offs provided, while there have also been concerns over the possibility of clubs screwing over their rivals in the final rounds of a league season if they have nothing to play for themselves.

In my latest WhoScored column, I reflect on last week's (sorry for the tardiness) de facto Série A final between Cruzeiro and Botafogo and argue that even second place would be a super achievement for the later.

Click here to have a read.

The week(end) that was - #6

On Botafogo's 20th Campeonato Carioca title, Rogério's pantomime villainy and the best of the rest...

Botafogo on the up

A well-taken goal from Rafael Marques (not that one) was enough to give Botafogo a 1-0 win against Fluminense in the final of the Taça Rio – a result that saw O Glorioso, who had already won the primeiro turno (the first stage of the championship), crowned champions of the Campeonato Carioca for the 20th time in their history.

They have undeniably been the standout side of the competition, impressing as much with their grit in the big matches as with their ability to overpower more modest opposition. The statistics tell the story: Sunday's victory ensured that Oswaldo de Oliveira's charges became the first side since 1997 to maintain a 100 per cent record during a whole phase of a Rio state championship campaign. This, even for one of the traditional big four, is no mean feat.

Boosted by the revelatory form of Nicolás Lodeiro, Clarence Seedorf's continued excellence and the lack of continental distractions (until the Copa Sul-Americana starts at least), Botafogo will certainly be in confident mood heading into the Série A season. An improvement upon their seventh-placed finish in 2012 looks likely.


Rogério vs Pato (part two)

It is fair to say that Rogério Ceni divides opinion like few others in the Brazilian game. Depending on your allegiances, he is either (a) a fiercely loyal competitor, still churning out era-defining performances in the twilight of his career, or (b) a snivelling, entitled elder statesman who should have retired a long time ago. The reality is somewhere between the two extremes, but few could deny the goalkeeper's penchant for box-office entertainment – be it through his saves, goals (yep) or increasingly frequent handling errors.

This weekend the veteran resumed a running feud with Alexandre Pato. The two first clashed (quite literally) back in March, when Rogério conceded a penalty for a foul the striker in the São Paulo vs Corinthians clássico. The goalkeeper protested the decision ("Look at the replay! He could have broken my foot!") but it was to no avail as Pato converted to win the game for the Timão.

The two sides met again on Sunday evening with a place in the final of the Campeonato Paulista at stake. A dire goalless draw was livened up by the ensuing penalty shootout, the climax of which pitted Pato against Rogério once more. With Paulo Henrique Ganso and Luís Fabiano having missed their kicks, Pato just needed to score from 12 yards to put Corinthians through. He stepped up. Rogério saved.

The São Paulo captain launched into lunatic celebration, only to be brought back down to earth with a bump. He had advanced too far off his line; the kick was to be retaken. Replays showed the extent of the advantage Rogério had been trying to gain – when Pato made contact with the ball, he was over 2.5 metres off his line. Pato made no mistake at the second time of asking, sending the Timão fans at the Morumbi into raptures.

Meanwhile, on computers throughout Brazil, a million photoshopped images mocking Ceni were being whipped up. The old man did it again.


Clássicozzzzzzzzzzz

That match was not the first derby match to disappoint in this season's Paulistão. Here are a few other clássico results from this year: Santos 0-0 Corinthians, São Paulo 0-0 Palmeiras, Palmeiras 0-0 Santos. Every one of those games was an excellent excuse for a snooze.


Elsewhere... 

(Deep breath, and...) Internacional beat Juventude on penalties to retain the Campeonato Gaúcho and earn Dunga his third trophy as a coach. Bahia and Vitória will play out a couple of Ba-Vi derbies to decide the destination of the Bahia state championship. Santa Cruz beat Sport 1-0 in the first leg of the Pernambucano final thanks to a goal from Dênis Marques, the owner of what is officially the worst haircut in human history. In Paraná, a Coritiba side featuring former Fenerbahçe playmaker Alex drew 2-2 with Atlético-PR in the first leg of their state championship decider.

(Your reward, for making it to the end of that last paragraph, is this moment of amusement from the São Paulo game. Emerson holds the ball in front of Thiago Carleto, who, to show how little he's worried, sorts out his fringe. Detail: Thiago Carleto doesn't have a fringe to sort out.)


A version of this article was published by the Guardian.

(Photo credits: (1) Bruno de Lima, (2) Marcos Ribolli.)

Gringo Star: Why Brazil fell in love with Clarence Seedorf

"Garrincha style", read the GloboEsporte headline following Botafogo's 4-1 victory over Nova Iguacu on 14 April, in reference to a bandy-legged dribble performed by the game's standout player. The trick – a kind of full-body, drunken-master feint – created enough space to whip in a cross, from which teammate Nicolás Lodeiro headed home. The name of the club's most famous son is not evoked lightly, but this was Mané through and through.

Yet the skill didn't come from a young Brazilian, an upstart pretender to the great entertainer's throne. It was performed by a veteran. By a gringo, of all people. It was performed by Clarence Seedorf.

Read the rest of this article, on Seedorf's Brazilian renaissance, at ESPN FC.

The week(end) that was - #5

Reborn Uruguayans, dressing room pacts, stories of redemption and mysterious masked fans: all in a few days' work for Brazilian football. Here are the stories of the weekend...

Lodeiro stakes his claim

Leggy forward Vitinho caught the eye in Botafogo's 3-0 win over Olária, climbing off the bench to score two fabulous goals in the final stages. But the game's true standout performer was Nicolás Lodeiro. With Clarence Seedorf given the evening off by Oswaldo de Oliveira, the Uruguayan made the most of a rare chance to assume centre stage, buzzing around nefariously behind the forwards and threatening with his dead-ball delivery. 

His goal, which arrived just after the interval, was a thing of beauty. Seizing upon a defensive slip-up, he surged towards the edge of the penalty area before cutting back onto his favoured left foot. With goalkeeper and centre-back (reasonably) expecting a shot, he then shifted the ball back to his right, taking them out of the game completely before clipping into the empty net. It was the kind of subtle, intelligent play that earnt him a move to Ajax as a 20-year-old and a place in Uruguay's 2010 World Cup squad. Botafogo may not be where he imagined himself playing at the age of 24, but the signs are that he's coming into his own in Brazil.

Público zero (almost)

Vasco da Gama's game against Friburguense on Sunday was played out in front of just paying 546 spectators at the São Januário. But this wasn't just another example of the occasionally fair-weather nature of Brazilian fandom. Rather, it was the result of a protest by the club's supporters' groups at the chaotic administration of president Roberto Dinamite. Barely a week seems to go by at Vasco without infighting or financial mismanagement coming to light, prompting the influential Força Jovem group to call for público zero this weekend. 

A few hundred picket-line crossers diminished the force of the protest slightly, but the presence of fans outside the stadium before kick-off was enough to dissuade Dinamite from attending. The anger is entirely understandable but Vasco fans must be careful what they wish for; portions of the crowd were calling for the return of Eurico Miranda, a man most famous for his and callous reaction to a stadium accident that left over 150 people injured at a Vasco match in 2000.*

(Another curiosity at the São Januário was the reappearance of the creepily-masked supporter known as Mister M. Could Mister M have anything to do with Mr Miranda? Conspiracy theories abound.)

Palmeiras pact pays off

Last month's 6-2 mauling at the hands of minnows Mirassol was always likely to go down as a key moment in Palmeiras' season. After the travails of 2012 and unedifying (read: despicable) scuffles between idiotic fans and players in March, you would have been forgiven for expecting total meltdown as the club prepares for life in Série B.

But things have panned out rather differently. Coach Gilson Kleina kept his job and has led the Verdão to three consecutive wins. This weekend a goal from in-form Leandro (who also scored on debut for Brazil in the non-event friendly with Bolivia just 24 hours earlier) saw them condemn early-season flyers Ponte Preta to their first defeat in 17 Paulistão games.

The key to this turnaround? Crisis talks in the dressing room following the Mirassol match. "We made a pact to overcome adversity," said defender Wendel. Fluffy-haired creator Tiago Real chimed in: "We said that we had to start from scratch. The results show that we've done that." These remain early days, but one senses that better times lie ahead for Palmeiras.

Fonte Nova opens with a bang

Another of Brazil's World Cup stadiums was unveiled on Sunday, when the Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador hosted the Campeonato Baiano game between Bahia and Vitória. The 55,000-seat stadium, built as a replacement for the Estádio Octávio Mangabeira, will host six games in 2014, as well as three at this summer's Confederations Cup. 

No serious issues were reported at the inauguration, meaning fans were able to fully enjoy the Ba-Vi, one of Brazil's most historic clássicos. Not that 'enjoy' was the right word for Bahia fans, who watched their side slump to a galling 5-1 defeat at the hands of the Ruby-and-Blacks. Among the scorers for Vitória was Maxi Biancucchi, the cousin of one Lionel Messi. Brazilians will be hoping that success doesn't run in the family if Argentina show up at the Fonte Nova in 2014.

Redemption for Rhayner

There are dry spells and then there are dry spells. Just ask Fluminense forward Rhayner. Before this weekend the 22-year-old had failed to register for the Tricolor, whom he joined at the start of the year. That would have be fine, except for the fact that he hadn't managed to find the net in 34 games for former club Náutico either. And for the three clubs he represented before them (Figueirense, Linense, Tombense)? You guessed it: zero goals. His last strike had come back in January 2011.

It wasn't for lack of trying; Rhayner did well enough at Náutico to earn a move to Flu, and had been lively in the latter's early Campeonato Carioca games. When the reigning Brazilian champions were awarded a penalty against Macaé last month, there was only one logical candidate to take it. Rhayner duly missed.

So when the youngster fortuitously found the net with a cross-shot against Resende on Saturday, the relief was almost palpable. After two years and 83 games without a goal, even a subsequent injury couldn't quite take the smile off his face; he left the pitch visibly buoyed by the cheers of the crowd at the Raulino de Oliveira stadium. Perhaps now the floodgates will open.

*For more on this story, read chapter thirteen of Alex Bellos' excellent Futebol.

A version of this article was published by The Guardian here.

(Photo credits: (1) Paulo Sergio, (2) Vanderlei Almeida/AFP.)

Botafogo Waste Chance to Go Top of Brasileirão; Flamengo Thrashed by Universidad de Chile

There were three midweek games involving Brazilian clubs this week, two of them in the Copa Sul-Americana. The other, a postponed Brasileirão game, could prove more significant in the long-run...

Santos 2-0 Botafogo
Breathe a sigh of relief. At times it looked as though they'd never make it, but Santos' Big Catch-up™ is over. Having had what seems like half of their league fixtures this year postponed for one reason or another (Libertadores, international matches), the Peixe are finally on an even footing with their Brasileirão competitors. Although a Série A challenge has passed the seasiders by, they can still have a big say in the eventual destination of the title, as demonstrated on Wednesday evening.

Hair today, gone tomorrow: Neymar salutes the Santos faithful.

Santos turned in an excellent display at the Vila, beating in-form Botafogo thanks to two goaks before the interval. Neymar, who has added a peroxide tint to his already extravagant barnet, scored the opener, prodding into the far corner after some typically skilful approach play. The lead was swiftly doubled, courtesy of Borges' 22nd Brasileirão goal of the season. The striker could hardly be more different in style to Neymar, as evidenced by his strike - a primitive hammer blow that fizzed passed the blameless Jefferson. Botafogo showed signs of recovery in the second period, but could not manage to reduce the arrears. They remain two points behind Corinthians and Vasco.

Copa Sul-Americana Round-up
When Vasco were roundly beaten by Aurora in the Sul-Americana a fortnight ago, they at least had the excuse of having fielded a reserve side. How Flamengo fans must wish Vanderlei Luxemburgo had done the same on Wednesday night. As it was, a strong Rubro-Negro side was humbled by Universidad de Chile; the visitors romped to a convincing 4-0 win in Rio de Janeiro. Gustavo Lorenzetti scored the pick of the goals, bending home a low effort to round off a devastating second half counter attack. At the Morumbi, meanwhile, interim coach Milton Cruz guided São Paulo to a win over Libertad. Luís Fabiano scored his first goal since returning to the club with a well-taken volley, leaving the Tricolor in pole position to reach the quarter finals.

Results. Série A: Santos 2-0 Botafogo. Sul-Americana: Flamengo 0-4 Universidad de Chile, São Paulo 1-0 Libertad.

(Photo credit; Miguel Schincariol.)

Botafogo Held by Santa Fé in Copa Sul-Americana

God bless the Copa Sul-Americana and it's wonderfully counter-intuitive schedule. Yes, this midweek round-up consists of only one match, and thus will be laughably short. With Vasco set to get their last 16 tie underway next week, and São Paulo and Flamengo only continuing their campaigns in late October (seriously), it was left to Botafogo to fly the Brazilian flag on Thursday night.

Botafogo 1-1 Santa Fé
With Série A success understandably his side's main priority, Caio Júnior rested a number of top players for the visit of Santa Fé. Fábio Ferreira, Marcelo Mattos and Maicosuel were all given the evening off, whilst Elkeson started on the bench. Botafogo's weakened side struggled in the opening period, and fell behind to a lovely team goal. Alejandro Bernal swapped passes with a teammate on the edge of the area and burst to the byeline, before picking out Omar Pérez in the six-yard box. The Santa Fé captain completed the easiest of finishes, inspiring Colombian hopes.

Anything you Canedo: Caio grabs Botafogo's equaliser.

Botafogo improved considerably after the break, buoyed by the introduction of Elkeson (who was on Brazil duty just 24 hours earlier). It was he who created the equaliser, sliding an impeccable pass through to Caio Canedo, who lofted coolly over the goalkeeper. It was a welcome return to prominence for Caio, a one-time prodigy whose star has dipped over the last twelve months. If Botafogo can harness his undoubted ability, they will lend yet another string to their formidable attacking bow. On Thursday, their late pressure came to nothing, meaning that they face a tricky second leg in Bogotá. That match is scheduled to take at some point before February 2019.*

*Don't take this as gospel.

(Photo credit; Paulo Sergio.)

Vasco Derailed by Botafogo 'Locomotive'; Fla Go Top Following Corinthians Slip Up

I hope for your sake, dear reader, that you enjoy a good train metaphor. If you don't, I pray that you're at least the kind of person who can find it in their heart to forgive me for the following few paragraphs.

Botafogo 4-0 Vasco da Gama
Vasco - who, conveniently enough, were christened O Trem Bala da Colina ("The Bullet Train of the Hill") in the wake of some enormously repetitive conga-line celebrations earlier this year - have been building up quite a head of steam recently; convincing wins over São Paulo and Santos have helped lift them into the upper echelons of the Brasileirão, inspiring dreams of a glorious league/cup double. With a seemingly impregnable defence (build around recent Brazil call-up Dedé), and a midfield full of guile and experience, Ricardo Gomes' side has won over all doubters in the past few months. When you add the fact that club idols Felipe and Juninho Pernambucano are present in the first team, this has their air of a golden age for the São Januário club.

Botafogo, on the other hand, as so often, seem beset by instability; Caio Júnior has done a reasonable job of filling Joel Santana's sizeable managerial shoes (coming soon to a shop near you), but seems unable to stamp his personality on the club, whilst his side seems able to motivate itself only for the supposed big games. The club's league position (6th at the time of writing) says more about the shortcomings of some of Brazil's other clubs than it does about O Glorioso. Hope, however, springs eternal. Especially when it stems from the kind of derby-day rout that occured on Sunday.

Do the Locomotion! Abreu jumps for joy after scoring against Vasco.

Things started well for Bota; the club's zagueiro artilheiro Antônio Carlos headed home the opener from Renato's corner within ten minutes of kick-off. That would prove to be just the start of an impressive first half salvo. The hosts' second arrived 20 minutes later; enigmatic Uruguayan striker 'Loco' Abreu turned home after Fernando Prass had parried Germán Herrera's initial effort. Abreu pounced once more before the interval, sending both the home faithful and Brazil's headline writers into raptures. All aboard the Locomotive!

The second half brought rather less excitement; the hard-running Herrera wrapped up the win with a powerful strike, whilst Vasco's misery was further compounded by a red card for Diego Souza. He will now sit out next week's tricky clash with Palmeiras. Abreu aside, there were plenty of positives for Botafogo; Sevilla midfielder Renato dictated the pace in the centre of the park, and Elkeson continued to show glimpses of real quality. Perhaps the standout performer, however, was Bruno Cortês, who spent much of the game marauding from his putative position at left back. It was a classy display, particularly from a man who, just a few weeks ago, held his wedding reception in his local branch of Habib's, a chain of Arabic fast food restaurants. True story.

Brasileirão Gameweek 15 Round-up
Corinthians look a shadow of the team that set the early pace in Série A; they needed a penalty from former Spartak Moscow playmaker Alex to rescue a 1-1 draw with the resurgent Atlético Paranaense. That result allowed Flamengo to move to the top of the standings; the Rubro-Negro snuck a 1-0 win over Coritiba thanks to a goal from débutant striker Jael. A brace from Cícero, meanwhile, secured three points for São Paulo against Avaí.

Points win prizes; América-MG striker Alessandro celebrates his goal against Flu.

Convincing wins over Ceará and Inter last week had seemed to announce a turning point in Fluminense's season. Football, however, is rarely so straightforward; the Tricolor were thrashed 3-0 by bottom club América Mineiro on Sunday. With Fred again absent from the squad (his tangles with Flu supporters could even see him leave the club), Abel Braga's men turned in an awful performance at the Arena do Jacaré. The defeat saw them leapfrogged in the table by Figueirense, who overcame Atlético-MG thanks to Elias' double. The Atlético board chose to axe coach Dorival Júnior after that one.

In Porto Alegre, Internacional came from behind to pick up a 3-2 win over Cruzeiro. Leandro Damião scored the pick of the goals at the Beira-Rio, heading powerfully home to seal victory for the Colorado. The consequences of that game could be far-reaching for Cruzeiro; star striker Wallyson fractured a bone in his ankle, and seems likely to miss the remainder of the season. Elsewhere this weekend, there were wins for Bahia and Santos, and Palmeiras played out a goaless draw with Grêmio.

Série A results; Palmeiras 0-0 Grêmio, Flamengo 1-0 Coritiba, Atlético-MG 1-2 Figueirense, Santos 1-0 Ceará, Internacional 3-2 Cruzeiro, Atlético-PR 1-1 Corinthians, América-MG 3-0 Fluminense, Botafogo 4-0 Vasco, Avaí 1-2 São Paulo, Bahia 2-1 Atlético-GO.

(Photo credits; (1) Bruno de Lima, (2) Gil Leonardi.)

Unbeaten Flamengo Overcome Botafogo in Clássico; Santos Keep Libertadores Hopes Alive

Despite not producing the attacking brilliance that some may have expected in the wake of Ronaldinho's arrival, Flamengo have established themselves as a robust force this year. Sunday's derby win over Botafogo was their 18th game of the season, and the Rubro-Negro have yet to taste defeat. In the Campeonato Paulista, Palmeiras and São Paulo pulled away at the head of the table after Corinthians and Santos dropped points. The latter, though, managed an impressive Libertadores win over Cerro Porteño, a result which keeps alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Botafogo 0-2 Flamengo

There is, in the eyes of many Flamengo fans, one piece of the jigsaw missing. Decent goalkeeper? Check. Solid defence? Check. Combative ball-winners? Check. Attacking midfielders? Check, check, write another cheque. A striker to provide a focal point? Oh. Oh dear. Diego Maurício, a promising young forward, seems unable to cement his place as a titular, whilst Wanderley seems to have been discarded after an impressive pre-season. The incumbent, meanwhile - former Fenerbahçe hitman Deivid - has flattered to deceive since his arrival last year, and must realise that he is just keeping the seat warm for someone more lethal.

That man, provided the Rubro-Negro commercial machine continues to purr, is likely to be Vágner Love; a striker who accumulated plenty of goals during his last spell at Gávea. Love has recently restated his desire to return to Flamengo later in the year, and is hopeful that current club CSKA Moscow facilitate the move. In the meantime, Fla will have to hobble on with their awkward blunt attack.

Ganhando sem freio; Flamengo celebrate Thiago Neves' second.

It is a testament to Flamengo's fighting spirit, then (or perhaps to the poverty of competition within the Campeonato Carioca), that they remain on course to finish unbeaten in the state championship. With no player racking up the goals, many of their victories this year have been obtained thanks to opportunist strikes from their stable of attacking midfielders; Ronaldinho, Renato Abreu and Thiago Neves have often been decisive for Vanderlei Luxemburgo's side. So it proved on Sunday against Botafogo; a relatively dull affair was settled by a Thiago strike either side of half time.

While the wait for a star striker continues, then, Fla fans will be largely content in the knowledge that the foundation of a strong team is in place. Despite the absence of an out-and-out goal-getter, the Rubro-Negro have battled to a three-month unbeaten run, and find themselves well placed both in the Carioca and in the Copa do Brasil. Taça na raça indeed.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up

Vasco continue to lead Group A of the Taça Rio, following a narrow win over Cabofriense. New boys Bernardo and Alecsandro were both on target for the Gigante da Colina; the former finished with glorious aplomb in the first half, and the latter tucked home a late penalty to seal the three points. Fluminense, meanwhile, thrashed Americano 5-1 at the Estádio Cláudio Moacyr. Araújo bagged a brace for the Tricolor, but the pick of the goals came from Darío Conca; the Argentine bent home a glorious free-kick in the opening period.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up

Palmeiras were without talismanic striker Kléber for their clash with Grêmio Prudente, but did enough to grind out a 2-0 victory. Defender Thiago Heleno put the Verdão ahead, before a late Douglas own goal thwarted any hopes Prudente had of a comeback. São Paulo were somewhat more emphatic, putting five past struggling Noroeste. Rogério Ceni claimed his sixth goal of the year from the penalty spot, and there were also goals for Marlos, Dagoberto, and Ilsinho.

Adriano was presented to the Corinthians fans ahead of their tie with São Caetano, but it would be another striker who stole the headlines at the Pacaembu; Éduardo scored twice for the visitors, condemning the Timão to an unexpected defeat. Santos also lost ground on the leaders; they struggled to a goalless draw with Americana.

Copa Libertadores Round-up

Grêmio had already sealed their place in the knockout stages ahead of Thursday's match against Oriente Petrolero, but will still have been disappointed with a 3-0 loss. The Tricolor will hope that the last 16 draw doesn't give them reason to regret their performance in Bolivia. Cruzeiro picked up their second win over Estudiantes in the group stages, romping to a 3-0 win in La Plata. In-form attackers Thiago Ribeiro and Wallyson put the Raposa in charge, before ex-Tottenham Hotspur utility man Gilberto completed the scoring.

Maikon Leite celebrates his goal against Cerro. Paraguayan security guards not impressed.

Santos travelled to Paraguay knowing that anything less than a win against Cerro Porteño would have severe implications for their hopes of progressing to the oitavas. The Peixe's task was rendered even more difficult by the absence of their three standout performers this term; Neymar, Zé Éduardo, and Elano were all suspended following dismissals against Colo-Colo. Nerves were settled early on when Brazil U20 star Danilo crashed home an unstoppable effort from 25 yards, and the quicksilver Maikon Leite doubled Santos' lead just after the break. Pedro Benítez reduced the arrears in injury time, but Muricy Ramalho's side held on for a deserved victory on the day of the club's 99th anniversary.

Copa do Brasil Round-up

Goals from Dedé, Alecsandro, and Bernardo gave Vasco da Gama a comfortable win over Náutico in the first leg of their last 16 tie; the perfect birthday present for club president Roberto Dinamite. Palmeiras also boosted their hopes of progress to the quarter finals with a 2-1 win away to Santo André. Avaí held Botafogo to a 2-2 draw at the Engenhão, while Atlético Paranaense drew 1-1 with Bahia at the latter's Pituaçu stadium.

Paraná club Coritiba (confusingly hailing from a city called Curitiba) will also fancy their chances of reaching the last 8, after an impressive 4-0 win over Caxias. Incredibly, Thursday's result was the Coxa's 19th consecutive competitive victory; a sequence which leaves them just two wins away from the Brazilian record, held by Palmeiras.

Best of the Rest

It was an eventful week for Internacional; they sacked Celso Roth last Friday, thrashed Canoas 6-2 on Sunday, and appointed club icon Paulo Roberto Falcão as their new coach on Monday. Roth, who guided Inter to the Libertadores last season, had been on shaky ground since the Colorado's disappointing Club World Cup campaign, and is unlikely to be missed by many of the club's fans. Whether Falcão can translate his popularity into managerial success remains to be seen; his last coaching role - with the Japan national team - ended fully 14 years ago.

New Internacional boss Paulo Roberto Falcão.

Selected results. Carioca; Botafogo 0-2 Flamengo, Vasco 2-1 Cabofriense, Americano 1-5 Fluminense. Paulista; Palmeiras 2-0 Grêmio Prudente, Americana 0-0 Santos, Corinthians 1-2 São Caetano, Noroeste 1-4 São Paulo. Libertadores; Oriente Petrolero 3-0 Grêmio, Cerro Porteño 1-2 Santos, Estudiantes 0-3 Cruzeiro.

(Photos credits; (1) Bruno de Lima, (2) Jorge Adorno.)

Papai Joel Leaves Botafogo; Deco Hands Fluminense Libertadores Lifeline

There was yet more managerial turmoil in Brazil this week, with the lovable Joel Santana parting company with Botafogo after thirteen months at the helm. Fluminense and Santos, meanwhile, both of whom are themselves without full-time coaches, spent the week chasing replacements. On the pitch, Corinthians moved to the top of the Paulistão, whilst Fluminense boosted their hopes of qualifying for the the knockout stages of the Libertadores with a win over Mexican side América.

Vasco da Gama 2-0 Botafogo
Fans of Botafogo should be careful what they wish for. The torrent of abuse aimed at coach Joel Santana (which reached its apex with a mass chorus of "Joel out!") during and after Sunday's clássico loss to Vasco prompted the 62-year-old to tender his resignation on Tuesday. When the blood of those Botafoguenses drops below boiling point, however, they will surely come to regret their conduct.

An emotional Joel Santana speaks to the press on Tuesday.

Santana, nicknamed Papai Joel in reference both to the Portuguese for Santa Claus and to his paternal management style, had, given the meagre resources at his disposal, done an admirable job at the Engenhão; victory in last year's Rio state championship was followed by a strong Série A campaign which very nearly culminated in Libertadores qualification. Although only managing to reach the semi-finals of the Taça Guanabara, Santana's side had started the segundo turno of the Carioca well, and top Group B despite the derby defeat. The grief-stricken tone of Joel's midweek press conference suggested that he had himself been shocked to witness the club's supporters turn on him.

The man charged with replacing Santana is Caio Júnior, who had been coaching Qatari club Al-Gharafa. Despite a previous spell as manager of Flamengo, Júnior is hardly a household name in Brazil, and will have his work cut out to fill the shoes vacated by Joel. Sunday's loss suggested that defensive stability should be his priority; Botafogo's backline was perforated too easily in the run-up to Diego Souza's opener, and lapsed again to allow Éder Luís to wrap up the points. Such frailties, though, exist largely in spite of Santana's stewardship, rather than because of it. It remains to be seen how Botafogo will fare in the coming months, but one thing seems clear; fans will regret the day they stopped believing in Papai Joel.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
Fluminense began the week in terrible fashion, both in footballing and administrative terms. A 2-0 loss to Boavista on Saturday (a match which was graced by a stunning long-range free-kick from centreback Gustavo) preceded an undignified scramble for a permanent coach. The Tricolor initially annouced the appointment of Gilson Kleina, only for the 42-year-old to state intention to stay at Ponte Preta. Kleina was, embarrassingly, the fourth coach to turn down the job since Muricy Ramalho's exit; Cuca, Levir Culpi, and Adílson Batista had also received approaches from the Laranjeiras club. Finally, later in the week, a solution was reached; the experienced Abel Braga will assume command when his contract with Al-Jazira (the club, not the phonetically-similar news channel) expires later in the year. Enderson Moreira will be the caretaker manager until then.

Rocket man; Boavista defender Gustavo (right) celebrates his wondergoal.

One almost expected Flamengo to conjure up some drama of their own to stay in the spotlight, but the week was a quiet one at Gávea. A side shorn of the suspended Ronaldinho and Thiago Neves could only manage a goalless draw with Cabofriense, and the club passed up the opportunity to sign a controversial former star...

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
That's where Corinthians come in. The Timão sealed the signing of Adriano on an 18-month contract, and are expected to unveil the striker officially next Tuesday; at the very sime time that São Paulo had scheduled the presentation of Luís Fabiano. This attempt at one-upmanship, though, seems misplaced; a case of "anything you can do, we can do worse," given the relative qualities (both psychological and physical) of the two players at this moment in time.

Corinthians did, however, manage to get one over on their neighbours this week, moving to the head of the Campeonato Paulista. Tite's side followed up a 1-0 victory over Americana with a more comfortable win over Oeste, a game in which Liédson scored his tenth goal in just nine appearances. Just how Levezinho will combine with the decidedly un-leve Adriano will be a crucial question for the Corinthians management to address. After gaining three points against Grêmio Prudente at the weekend, São Paulo lost ground on Wednesday night; the Tricolor fell to defeat against Paulista, despite Rogério Ceni's 99th career goal. The veteran goalkeeper will be hoping to seal his century in Sunday's derby against- yep, you guessed it - Corinthians.

Corinthians striker Dentinho celebrates his goal against Oeste.

Palmeiras moved up to second in midweek, thrashing Linense at the Arena Barueri. Patrik continued his impressive recent form, bagging two goals in that game. The Verdão remain two points adrift of Corinthians however, due to having dropped points against São Caetano at the weekend. Santos recovered from a loss to Bragantino with a Paulo Henrique Ganso-inspired win over Mogi Mirim, but were dealt a severe blow by that very player; Ganso looks destined to leave in the near future after stating his desire to play in Europe. Milan and Internazionale are believed to be the favourites for his signature.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
Fluminense, who have struggled in the Libertadores this term, were handed a lifeline on Wednesday; a late Deco goal gave them a scarcely-deserved victory over América at the Engenhão. Gum's header cancelled out Vicente Sánchez's opener in a tense first half, but an own-goal from Digão gave the Tricolor a mountain to climb. Araújo brough Flu level, however, before Deco sent fans into raptures. It was a rare goal from the former Portuguese international, who later admitted to having considered hanging up his boots last season.

Best of the Rest
Grêmio enjoyed a fine week in the Campeonato Gaúcho, racking up nine unanswered goals in games against Porto Alegre and Internacional-SM. Internacional could only draw with Novo Hamburgo on Saturday, but bounced back with victory over São José-RS. In Minas Gerais, Cruzeiro continued to impress with a 3-0 win over Funorte, whilst Atlético Mineiro picked up a win over Vila Nova. The latter also annouced the signing of striker Guilherme, a former Raposa favourite whose career in Europe failed to take off as many expected.

Selected results. Carioca; Vasco 2-0 Botafogo, Fluminense 0-2 Boavista, Cabofriense 0-0 Flamengo. Paulista; Bragantino 2-1 Santos, Corinthians 1-0 Americana, São Caetano 1-1 Palmeiras, Grêmio Prudente 0-1 São Paulo, Santos 3-1 Mogi Morim, Corinthians 3-0 Oeste, Palmeiras 3-0 Linense, Paulista 3-2 São Paulo. Libertadores; Fluminense 3-2 América.

(Photo credits; (1) Wagner Meier, (2) Cleber Mendes, (3) Tom Dib.)

SKP at the Engenhão! (Plus Gameweek 13 Round-up)

I'm pleased to present a new feature on this page; a report from a game that I actually went to! Yes, dear reader, your humble SKP correspondent was in attendance at the Engenhão as Botafogo triumphed 3-0 over lowly Atlético Mineiro. I have already been to a few games over here, but as this was the first since I started this blog, I'll include some more anecdotal material about the day alongside the match report. Hopefully this will be of some interest to those who have yet to experience watching football in this country.

Moody black-and-white snapshot? Check.

Leaving home fully two hours before kick-off, we (my girlfriend and I) took two crowded buses from Recreio (in the South of Rio) to the Zona Norte; a huge, sprawling assortment of neighbourhoods on the other side of a ridge of mountains. Anyone in the UK who moans about public transport has simply not been here; riding a bus is like being inside a washing machine - all rattles, bumps, and gradually moistening clothes thanks to the humidity. Not knowing exactly how long the journey would last, we struck up conversation with a young Botafogo fan, travelling to the game with his friends. As ever in this country of good samaritans, he couldn't do enough to help us; advising us about the best seats in the stadium and directing us to the ticket office after we got off the bus.

The view from inside the Engenhão.

Actually, 'ticket office' may be a bit generous to the scrum that greeted us, but twenty minutes later we emerged with two student (half-price) tickets for the upper tier of the West stand. After a quick moment contemplating the statue of Garrincha, the club's biggest idol, we made our way slowly up a spiral walkway and to our seats. The stadium, built in 2007 for the Pan-American games, was stunning; all swooping curves and metallic detail. The pitch, bordered by a running track, seemed incredibly small; dwarfed by the height of the two main stands. The atmosphere, however, contrary to my expectations, was great; the Fogo fans were out in force, as our bus companion had confirmed, for three main reasons. Firstly, the likelihood of victory was high; the Alvinegro had won their last game, whereas Atlético have been in abject form. Fairweather fans, the Brazilians. Secondly, it promised to be the first post-World Cup appearance of 'Loco' Abreu, a cult figure at the Engenhão. Thirdly, the game marked Maicosuel's comeback at the ground, after a spell with Hoffenheim in Germany.

Flares and banners in the East stand.

The home fans would not be dissappointed; after 30 minutes, Maicosuel pounced on a rebound to send O Glorioso on their way to a commanding 3-0 victory. The man they call 'the magician' was in fine fettle throughout the opening period; combining particularly well with Jóbson, himself a revelation since his return from a doping ban. Botafogo looked assured of victory as soon as the first goal hit the back of the net, yet they would extend their lead only with the help of a huge slice of luck. Somália's low drive cannoned off the arm of Herrera, leaving Galo 'keeper Fábio Costa with no chance. The goal was allowed to stand despite the protests of the away side.

A rare full house looks on.

Botafogo took their foot off the gas somewhat in the second period, but still managed a third. Hard-working Argentine striker Herrera slotted confidently home from the penalty spot after Jóbson tumbled in the box. The contest was over, leaving the Fogo fans with little better to do than call for the introduction of 'Loco' Abreu. Their wish would be granted, with Joel Santana bringing off Maicosuel. As the cries of "OOOOO, EL LOCO!" subsided into a chorus of "OOOOOOOH, MAICOSUEL VOLTOU!" ('Maicosuel is back!'), the sense of optimism was palpable in the stadium. Chatting to another fan on the bumpy ride home, we agreed that if Botafogo produced such performances more frequently, a title challenge would not be out of their reach.

Gameweek 13 Round-up
Saturday's only other match (Santos vs Inter was postponed) saw Guarani romp to a 4-1 win over Avaí at the Brinco de Ouro. Renan's deflected effort put the Bugre ahead, before Ricardo Xavier benefitted from some hapless defending to net a second. Robinho's penalty gave the away side a glimmer of hope, but Guarani quickly snatched it away, extending their lead with volleys from Mazola and Fabão.

In Sunday's Clássico das Nações, Flamengo were beaten 1-0 by Corinthians at the Pacaembu. The Timão dominated the game, and will be delighted with the win, despite having only Elias' first half goal to show for their efforts. The result sees a gap opening up at the top of Série A; seven points now separate second-placed Corinthians with Ceará in third. At the summit, however, are Fluminense, who maintained their excellent recent form with a 2-1 win against Grêmio in Porto Alegre. Mariano's deflected free-kick handed the Tricolor a first-half lead, and Emerson quickly made it two; rounding the goalkeeper after Darío Conca's brilliant pass. Former Flu striker André Lima pulled one back, but also drew howls of disgust as he missed a simple tap-in. The loss spelt the end of coach Silas' spell at the Olímpico; he was dismissed after the game.

Vasco captain Carlos Alberto removes his armband after seeing red.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's Palmeiras looked to have claimed all three points against Goiás, but were pegged back late on at the Serra Dourada. Ewerton smashed the Verdão into the lead, but Marcos Assunção's own goal ensured the points were shared. São Paulo, under the temporary command of Milton Cruz (following the departure of Ricardo Gomes), also surrendered a lead on the road; Cléber Santana's scuffed opener at the Arena da Baixada was cancelled out by Atlético Paranaense's Maikon Leite.

Vasco continue to work their way up the Brasileirão table following a narrow victory over Vitória at the São Januário. Zé Roberto's cute finish, his first goal for the club, was enough to secure a 1-0 win for the Gigante da Colina. Captain Carlos Alberto, making his first start after a period on the sidelines, was sent off for the home side. Sunday's remaining two games finished goalless; Grêmio Prudente and Atlético Goianiense picked up creditable away draws against Cruzeiro and Ceará respectively.

(Photo credits; (1), (2), (3) & (4) Writer's own, (5) Pedro Kirolos.)

Botafogo Continue Strong Start Despite Infighting; Flamengo Seal First Win

An action-packed weekend in the Brasileirão saw plenty of goals and talking points, with events at the Engenhão drawing particular attention...

Botafogo 3-0 Goiás
O Glorioso continued their impressive start to the campaign on Saturday afternoon by comprehensively defeating Emerson Leão's Goiás side. The game, however, will be best remembered for a bizarre incident involving Botafogo teammates Herrera and Caio, who were sent off for fighting in the second half. Herrera was visibly aggrieved when Caio selfishly wasted a good counter-attacking opportunity, and appeared to have some strong words for the youngster. The spat turned physical (although hardly violent), culminating in a couple of shoves and general handbags. The referee, however, saw fit to expel both players, who looked rather embarrassed as they trudged off.

Lúcio Flávio commemorates his goal. The crowd go wild. Or not.

The confrontation overshadowed what was another well-deserved win for Botafogo. After surviving some early Goiás pressure, the home side took the lead via Lúcio Flávio. The midfielder can sometimes look sluggish in open play, but his dead-ball prowess is beyond despute; his perfectly placed free-kick gave the 'keeper no chance. Barely a minute later, the advantage was doubled. Fábio in the Goiás goal failed to cling on to Herrera's low shot, and Somália hammered in the loose ball. It was Herrera who completed the scoring in the second period, turning home Lúcio Flávio's cross at the near post.

Despite the infighting, Joel Santana will be delighted to see his team move up to third in the table. If Botafogo continue this form, they might be a good outside bet for a Sudamericana or even a Libertadores place. In the short term, however, suspensions for Herrera and Caio (plus World Cup duty for Loco Abreu) will force the Alvinegro to field a makeshift strikeforce (likely to be Alex and Edno) against Cruzeiro on Wednesday.

Flamengo 3-1 Grêmio Prudente
There were mixed fortunes for Flamengo this week. The Rio giants recorded their first league win of the season, but look set to lose star striker Adriano, whose contract is about to expire. A return to Italy with Roma is mooted, a move which would put a huge dent in Fla's ambition of successfully defending their Série A crown. I stuggle to see how the transfer would be beneficial to Adriano either, apart from giving his bank balance a boost. This is a player who has struggled with drink, depression, and indiscipline even in circumstances tailor-made for his happiness; his family and friends are nearby, and Flamengo have been hugely (and arguably, excessively) lenient over his frequent absences from training. Staying with the Rubro-Negro would surely be the most logical outcome, but this appears unlikely. After all, when does logic have anything to do with Brazilian football?!

Flamengo goalscorer Juan.

Adriano sat out Sunday's game at the Maracanã, which allowed centre stage to be taken by Vágner Love, the other half of the fêted Império do Amor (literally Empire of Love; a conjunction of the two strikers' nicknames) partnership. It was he who opened the score on the stroke of half time, converting a penalty after Guilherme Camacho was tripped in the box. Wanderley levelled for the visitors after the break, but Flamengo nicked two late goals to secure three points. An attempted cross from Juan snuck in at the near post, before Vágner Love calmly slotted home his second penalty of the game. Next up for Rogério Lourenço's men is Wednesday's Fla-Flu clash at the Maracanã.

Gameweek 3 Round-up
Palmeiras faced Grêmio on Saturday, in the final game at the Palestra Itália prior to its refurbishment. In an exciting contest, the Verdão emerged 4-2 winners, a result which should temporarily allay fears over the side's decline in recent months. Ewerton twice capitalised on slack Grêmio defending to give the home side a two-goal lead, but the Tricolor reacted with a classy goal from Jonas, who controlled a high ball and volleyed home. Just before half-time, some ridiculous refereeing saw a sending off apiece; Palmeiras' Marcos Assunção and Douglas of Grêmio both harshly punished for a minor coming-together. Hugo levelled things up for the Porto Alegre side after the break, but it was Palmeiras who claimed the win, thanks to a Maurício Ramos header and a cute near-post finish from Cleiton Xavier.

A 2-1 away win against Atlético-GO gave Santos their first win in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Without Neymar, Ganso, Madson, and André (all left out for breaking a curfew after last week's Copa do Brasil win), Santos struggled to assert themselves in the first half. After the break, a firecracker from Wesley gave the Peixe the lead, before Zé Eduardo turned home Alex Sandro's cross. Boka's late goal proved to be no more than a consolation for the Dragão.

Atlético Mineiro reacted to last week's dire display by dispatching Atlético Paranaense 3-1. Goals from Muriqui, Diego Tardelli, and Ricardinho outweighed the away side's sole (but well worked) effort, which was finished off by Bruno Mineiro. Fellow Belo Horizonte heavyweights Cruzeiro had to come from two goals down to earn a draw with Guarani. Bugre hitman Roger twice profited from some uncharacteristically poor Cruzeiro defending, before Gil and Guerrón levelled things up.

Atlético-PR's Marcio Azevedo (left) confronts Atlético Mineiro's Ricardinho.

In a preview of the upcoming Libertadores semi-final, Internacional lost 2-0 to São Paulo at the Beira-Rio. Hernanes gave the away side the lead; his volley surprised Pato Abbondanzieri after his original shot from a free-kick had rebounded off the wall. Fernandão (a former Inter idol) bagged the Tricolor's second, rounding off a lovely move involving Hernanes and Dagoberto. São Paulo's exciting form continues. Corinthians scraped a 1-0 win over improving Fluminense, thanks to a Chicão free-kick. The Timão had to withstand substantial pressure from the Rio side, who thought they'd won a late penatly when Fred was brought down by Bruno. Unfortunately for Flu, the linesman had flagged the striker offside; a tight call but probably an accurate one.

Ceará claimed their second win of the season, beating Vitória 1-0. The goal came in injury time at the end of the match; Washington with the easiest of finishes after a sensational run by Misael. Avaí's early season form continued with a straightforward 2-0 win over struggling Vasco. Roberto scored the first for the Leão da Ilha, following some comically bad defending from the Rio side. Róbson made it two in the second half, finishing off a neat attack down the right. Celso Roth's Vasco have a measly one point to their name after the opening three games.

(Photo credits; (1) Alexandre Cassiano/Globo, (2) Paulo Sergio, (3) Mauricio de Souza/Agência Estado.)

Absence of Stars and Fans Marks Start of Série A

The Campeonato Brasileiro got underway this weekend, but annouced its grand opening with a whisper rather than a shout. Many of the big clubs' marquee names (such as Paulo Henrique Ganso, Adriano, Vágner Love, Robinho, Andrés D'Alessandro, Borges, Thiago Ribeiro) were rested with cup competitions in mind; a maddening consequence of the muddled fixture list. Fans, too, were in short supply; an average of only 10,600 (paying) supporters per match according to Globo.

Both phenomena reflect the priorities of Brazilian clubs (and consequently, their fans) at this time of year. The Libertadores is understandably high on the agenda of Flamengo, Cruzeiro, Inter, and São Paulo, all of whom believe (probably correctly) that they can get away with fielding below-strength sides in the Brasileiro. The Copa do Brasil, too, is in the minds of Grêmio, Vitória, Atlético-GO and Santos, largely because the winners are granted a place in next year's Libertadores.

Despite these structural problems, things got off to an exciting start on the pitch, especially at the Engenhão...

Herrera celebrates his late equaliser for Botafogo.

Botafogo 3-3 Santos
On Saturday night, Botafogo displayed the kind of spirit typical of Joel Santana sides, which should go some way to staving off the relegation worries which beset them in 2009. O Glorioso started impressively, and defender Antônio Carlos headed them into a sixth minute lead. For the first half hour, Santos looked far from their free-flowing selves; second choice No.10 Madson struggled to fill Paulo Henrique's creative boots.

A goal can change everything, however, and so it proved here; Neymar netted following good work on the left by Alex Sandro and Marquinhos, and Peixe relaxed into the game. Santos took the lead just two minutes later, when André dispatched a first-time finish after a mistake from Botafogo left-wingback Somália. The home side were reeling, but they managed to nick a goal against the run of play seconds before half time; Antônio Carlos volleying in his second after Santos failed to clear an Alessandro free-kick.

Joel Santana sent on Edno and Caio at half-time in a clear sign of attacking intent, but to no great effect; rarely did any actual football break out among the petty fouls and play-acting. Fans were forced to wait for a blitz of action in the last 10 minutes, in which Zé Eduardo headed Santos into a 3-2 lead, Alex Sandro was harshly sent off, and Herrera equalised for Botafogo. The Argentine forward deserved his goal; his functional but committed approach, like his team's, provided a challenge for Santos' more fluid style. After the game, Santana declared himself disappointed with the draw, but in truth this was a fair result, and one which should hearten those associated with Fogo.

Palmeiras matchwinner Lincoln battles for possession.

Gameweek 1 Round-up
Saturday evening saw two more games, but only one more goal; Lincoln's well placed finish which gave Palmeiras a 1-0 win over Vitória at the Palestra Itália. Perhaps of greater importance for the Verdão was the exclusion of Diego Souza from their matchday squad. The playmaker has had a fractious relationship with the team's fans of late, and it appears like he could be moving on within the next few weeks. If he does, Palmeiras' thin hopes of a title challenge will be in tatters. At the Serra Dourado, newly promoted Atlético Goianiense earnt an impressive 0-0 draw with a below-par Grêmio.

Sunday saw perennial title-contenders São Paulo travel to Rio to play holders Flamengo. In a quiet game, it was Washington who gave the Tricolor the lead, finishing off a lovely move involving Léo Lima and veteran Marcelinho Paraíba. However, some pedestrian defending in the second half by São Paulo allowed Dênis Marques (who, I feel duty-bound to inform my readers, has the worst "hairstyle" I have ever seen) what seemed like hours to trundle into the box, pick his spot, and scuff a shot past Rogério Ceni. A tentative 1-1 draw was a fair reflection of the game.

At the Pacaembu, Corinthians came from a goal behind to beat Atlético-PR 2-1. Big striker Souza cancelled out Wagner Diniz's free-kick, before Ronaldo secured a win for Timão from the penalty spot. The win will likely take some of the pressure off the team, but may not cool supporters' anger about the renewal of coach Mano Menezes' contract.

In Porto Alegre, Internacional fell to a 2-1 loss to Belo Horizonte giants Cruzeiro. Kléber gave the Raposa an early lead from the penalty spot, only for Taison to head in an equaliser minutes later. It was the Gladiator that settled things though, firing in his second after running onto a long ball.

Cruzeiro hitman Kléber is congratulated by teammates after netting his second.

The biggest win of the round was Avaí's 6-1 destruction of nine-man Grêmio Prudente. Centre-back Emerson did much of the damage with a hat-trick, and Caio bagged himself a brace. The Abelha will have to defend much better, especially from dead balls, if they're to compete in future weeks.

Atlético-MG's victory over Vasco could have had a similar scoreline, but the home side had to settle for a 2-1 win at the Mineirão. Diego Tardelli set up Ricardinho for the opener, and looked to have got the second himself before Muriqui selfishly tapped it in himself. Vasco rallied with a goal from Elton, but couldn't find an equaliser.

Finally, both Ceará and Guarani showed that they will be no pushovers in Série A; the newly promoted teams battled to 1-0 home wins over Fluminense and Goias respectively.

(Photo credits; (1) Pedro Kirilos, (2) Ari Ferreira, (3) Unknown.)