Vasco Crowned Copa do Brasil Champions; São Paulo Maintain 100% League Record

Vasco da Gama won the Brazilian cup for the first time in their 113 year history last night, overcoming Coritiba on away goals. There was also a Campeonato Brasileiro match taking place, with unbeaten pair Atlético Mineiro and São Paulo meeting in Sete Lagoas...

É campeão! Diego Souza and Alecsandro celebrate.

Coritiba 3-2 Vasco da Gama
Finally, the perennial bridesmaids of Brazilian football have a Copa do Brasil title of their own. Vasco were forced to do things the hard way, however, against Marcelo Oliveira's brave Coritiba outfit. The Rio giants travelled to Paraná with the slenderest of leads, having won the first leg 1-0 at the São Januário. That clean sheet on home soil would turn out to be critical.

Both sides came flying out of the blocks; Éder Luís had an early effort deflected into the side netting, whilst Jonas came close with a free-kick for the Coxa. The opening goal duly arrived in the 11th minute; Éder Luís ran onto Diego Souza's fine pass, before squaring for Alecsandro to finish. The Couto Pereira, usually so vibrant, was momentarily silenced. The home side fought back, however, managing two quick goals before the interval; Bill nodded home from close range, and Davi smashed home the second.

Vasco players celebrate Éder Luís' strike in trademark style.

The hosts, then, needed just one more after the break, and continued to press forward. What came next was a knockout blow. There seemed to be little danger as Éder Luís dribbled forward, with plenty of Coritiba defenders between him and the goal. His hopeful shot, however, was horribly misjudged by Édson Bastos, who allowed the ball to bounce over his flailing left leg. Vasco's players indulged in their trem bala da colina (bullet train) celebration, forming a conga line of delirium. Coritiba pulled one back through Willian's fabulous volley, but the spoils went to Ricardo Gomes' men. Parabéns, Vasco, campeão inédito!

Atlético Mineiro 0-1 São Paulo
Despite being on the back foot for much of the match, São Paulo snatched all three points from their trip to Minas Gerais. With Rogério Ceni on vintage form for the Tricolor, Atlético's dominance of possession failed to translate onto the scoreboard, despite the Galo racking up nearly 20 attempts on goal. Brazil U20 midfielder Casemiro netted the winner, curling home from just outside the area. The victory - their third in three games - takes São Paulo to the summit of Série A.

Results. Copa do Brasil; Coritiba 3-2 Vasco (3-3 on aggregate, Vasco win on away goals). Série A; Atlético-MG 0-1 São Paulo.

(Photo credits; (1) & (2) Cleber Mendes.)

Jekyll and Hyde Santos Reach Libertadores Final; Vasco Establish Copa do Brasil Advantage

In Brazil, big games come in twos. Such was the case last night; a couple of the year's most important cup matches took place (at ridiculous o'clock). Santos secured their place in the final of the Copa Libertadores with an exciting draw against Cerro Porteño, whilst Vasco took a narrow advantage in the Brazilian cup final.

Cerro Porteño 3-3 Santos
Santos are a divided beast. Their historic heart pulls one way, craving attacking nirvana at the expense of defensive solidity. Ludicrous seven-goal thrillers are its calling card. Their head, meanwhile, embodied by master pragmatist Muricy Ramalho, tugs the other; demanding cool, calm, cold results. The latter had been getting its way; the Peixe's previous five Libertadores results had read like binary code - 1-0, 0-0, 1-0, 1-1, 1-0. Last night, however, belonged to Mr Hyde.

Gol é gol! Neymar celebrates Santos' fortuitous second.

Two minutes on the clock. BANG. Zé Eduardo (finally) scores, nodding home Elano's free-kick from fully 60 centimetres out. One swiftly became two, in quite hilarious fashion. Ganso (the Cerro Porteño defender, not the crocked Santos man) headed a harmless-looking ball back to his goalkeeper, who somehow sliced his punch (no, I wouldn't have said that was possible either) into his own net. Santos, in imminent danger of being comfortable in the tie, promptly conceded; César Benítez headed home Juan Manuel Iturbe's fine corner.

There was still time, however, for one more goal before the break. Santos midfielder Arouca ran the length of the pitch (which, incidentally, was cut in a manner reminiscent of the Japanese imperial flag... I kid you not) before teeing up Neymar to slot home. After the interval, things slowed down somewhat, but there was still ample excitement. Cerro scored two lovely goals (Juan Manuel Lucero with a swiftly-taken volley, and Jonathan Fabbro with a stunning individual effort), Edu Dracena managed to get sent off for dissent, and Muricy Ramalho got hit on the head with a projectile thrown from the stands. Santos, though, managed to see the game out, and progress to the final. Muricy will be hoping for a rather more serene climax to that one.

Vasco da Gama 1-0 Coritiba
With both sides chasing their first Copa do Brasil title, this first leg was always going to be an attritional affair. In front of a packed crowd at the São Januário, the opening period produced only a couple of real chances; Bill had a decent shot from range, before Édson Bastos got down low to deny Diego Souza. Thankfully, the deadlock was broken just after the interval; Allan crossed to the near post, where Alecsandro powered a header into the back of the net. The bulky striker proceeded to pull a funny face, in tribute to his father Lela (who celebrated in that manner during his days as a player).

If the wind changes, you'll be stuck like that, Alecsandro...

Coritiba rallied after that point, throwing men forward at every opportunity. Unfortunately for Marcelo Oliveira's men, Vasco goalkeeper Fernando Prass was having one of those evenings; blocking shots with all parts of his body, and being a general nuisance. The home fans, of course, were loving every minute. 1-0 may not be the most comfortable lead to take to the Couto Pereira, but, on current form, the Gigante da Colina will be confident of finishing the job next week.

Results. Libertadores; Cerro Porteño 3-3 Santos (3-4 on aggregate). Copa do Brasil; Vasco 1-0 Coritiba.

(Photo credits; (1) Norberto Duarte, (2) Gilvan de Souza.)

Vasco and Coritiba Reach Cup Final; Santos Beat Cerro Porteño

This week provided plenty of cup drama in Brazilian football, with the semi-finals of both the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores taking place. Vasco and Coritiba progressed domestically, whilst Santos established a first leg lead in the continental competition.

Copa do Brasil Round-up

Vasco travelled to Avaí's Ressacada stadium on Wednesday, hoping to build on their strong Série A display against Ceará at the weekend. Ricardo Gomes' side started the match in fine fashion, and led within five minutes; Avaí midfielder Revson could only flick Felipe's devilish free-kick into his own net. The Gigante da Colina would go on to double their advantage before the interval, and in some style; Alecsandro's delicate through-ball found Diego Souza, who effortlessly clipped a finish over the onrushing Renan. Vasco took their foot off the gas in the second period, but saw out the match with some comfort.

Vasco goalkeeper Fernando Prass celebrates his side's victory.

In the other semi, Coritiba snuck past Ceará to reach their first ever Copa do Brasil final. A tight match at the Couto Pereira was settled by a wonderful goal; Anderson Aquino wriggled past two defenders on the edge of the area, before curling a wonderful shot into the corner of the net. Marcelo Oliveira, who has already lead the Coxa to state championship glory this term, will be hoping to add to his haul in the two-legged final.

Copa Libertadores Round-up

In-form Santos welcomed Cerro Porteño to the Pacaembu on Wednesday, for the first leg of their Libertadores semi-final. The Peixe, eager to establish an advantage ahead of the return leg in Paraguay, started the stronger; both Léo and Elano went close in the opening stages. The breakthrough finally came just before halftime; Neymar (who else?) danced past a cluster off defenders, before lofting a cross to the far post. Santos centreback Edu Dracena could hardly believe his luck, and headed home via the crossbar. Cerro Porteño almost managed to grab an immediate equaliser, but Rafael pulled off a stunning save to deny Benítez.

Edu Dracena wheels away after giving Santos a crucial lead.

The hosts continued to impress in the second half, and had numerous chances to double their lead; Neymar brought a flying save from Barreto, and Maikon Leite (who came on for the woeful Zé Eduardo) blazed over from a good position. The best opportunity of all, however, arrived in injury time. Neymar's deflected cross landed at feet of Alan Patrick, but the youngster could only scuff his shot straight at the 'keeper from five yards. Muricy Ramalho will hope that his side's profligacy doesn't come back to haunt them in the second leg.

Results. Copa do Brasil; Avaí 0-2 Vasco (1-3 on aggregate), Coritiba 1-0 Ceará (1-0 on aggregate). Libertadores; Santos 1-0 Cerro Porteño.

(Photo credits; (1) Antonio Carlos Mafalda, (2) Ivan Storti.)

Santos Seal Paulistão Title; Inter and Cruzeiro Also Win State Championships

The state championships, after four months of mild predictability, are over. Local rivalries have been settled (or stoked), big clubs have asserted their dominance, and titles have been added to the tally charts of regional achievement. In the São Paulo championship, Santos sealed their second consecutive title, overcoming Corinthians. Elsewhere, Internacional, Cruzeiro, Santa Cruz, Atlético Goianiense, and Ceará all won their local competitions. In the Libertadores, Santos progressed to the final four thanks to a draw with Once Caldas, whilst the Copa do Brasil semi-finals got underway. Without further ado, then...

Santos 2-1 Corinthians
After last week's tense first leg, Santos and Corinthians reconvened at the former's Vila Belmiro stadium in order to decide the winner of the 2011 Campeonato Paulista. Santos, chasing their second state title in as many years, had been marginally the better side at the Pacaembu, and were confident of victory despite the absences of Paulo Henrique Ganso (injured) and Danilo (suspended). Corinthians manager Tite, who has struggled to coax much attacking flair from his side lately, kept faith with Dentinho up front, despite fans' clamour for the inclusion of Willian.

Arouca celebrates his goal for Santos.

To the delight of the home fans, it was Santos who got off to the better start; Léo blasted just over the crossbar in the opening minutes, before Zé Eduardo had a goal chalked off for offside. The Peixe's dominance, however, would not go unrewarded. Some smart build-up from Léo and Zé Eduardo allowed midfield dynamo Arouca (who is reportedly attracting interest from a number of Italian clubs) to pounce from close range in the sixteenth minute. The Santos No.5 came close to doubling his haul later in the half, but saw his volley clatter back off the post.

Tite altered his side at half time, withdrawing the woeful Dentinho. The striker was reported to be in tears on the bench; with a bid from Shakhtar Donetsk on the table, this was probably his last game for Corinthians. Willian, his replacement, almost made an immediate impact, testing Rafael with a powerful effort. Santos, though, continued to threaten, and extended their lead through Neymar. The youngster created some space for himself on the left, before poking an effort towards the far corner. Timão 'keeper Júlio César looked to have it covered, but inexplicably allowed the ball to dribble through his hands.

On the shoulders of giants; Neymar soaks up the applause.

Corinthians rallied late on with a goal from Morais, but couldn't find an equaliser. As the final whistle blew, the Vila erupted into vivid celebration. Neymar, the side's main protagonist this term, was held aloft by fans, before club captain Edu Dracena lifted the trophy. This year's Paulistão victory may not have been quite as exhilarating as their last, but most santistas won't care one bit; the Peixe have cemented their status as the dominant force in the São Paulo state. Parabéns Santos; bicampeão paulista!

Copa Libertadores Round-up
The good news didn't stop there for Santos; they progressed to the semi-finals of the Libertadores with a 1-1 draw against Once Caldas on Wednesday night. Starting the game with a narrow advantage from the away leg, the Peixe quickly took command of the tie; Neymar broke the deadlock with an impeccable strike from range. The Colombian side fought back, however, and grabbed a crucial away goal through Rentería.

Santos had various opportunities to kill off the tie, but were afflicted by unusual profligacy. Neymar was the most guilty party, seeing his penalty saved after being tripped in the Once Caldas area. The home fans may have expected a nervy finish, but the seasiders held on with some comfort in the second half. Coach Muricy Ramalho, although occasionally maligned for his negative tactics, must be credited for making Santos more robust in such situations. Next up for the Brazilian side; Cerro Porteño.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
With four (relative) underdogs through to the semi-finals, the Copa do Brasil has a romantic look to it this year. Ceará, who conquered Flamengo in the previous round, were held to a goalless draw by Coritiba in the first leg of their tie. Defences came out on top in a packed Presidente Vargas stadium; Fernando Henrique in particular turned in a stellar display in the Ceará goal. There's all to play for at the Couto Pereira next week.

On the spot; Vasco goalscorer Diego Souza.

In Rio, Vasco hosted Avaí, who claimed the scalp of São Paulo in the quarter-final. A hard-fought game sprung into life in the 80th minute, when Julinho's low shot put Avaí in the driving seat. The Gigante da Colina looked beaten, but somehow managed an equaliser in injury time; Diego Souza tucked home from the spot after Élton took a tumble in the box. Wednesday's return leg should be a cracker.

Best of the Rest
Internacional won their 40th Campeonato Gaúcho on Sunday, beating Grêmio on penalties after a pulsating clash. 3-2 down after the first leg, Inter were given a mountain to climb when Lúcio stroked their opponents into an early lead. The Colorado, however, reacted in style; goals from Leandro Damião, Andrezinho, and Andrés D'Alessandro put them on the verge of victory. A howler from goalkeeper Renan, though, allowed Leandro to force a penalty shootout. Grêmio midfielder Adílson was the unlucky party; his miss from twelve yards handed Inter the title.

Inter celebrate their Gauchão title.

In the final of the Campeonato Mineiro, late goals from Wallyson and Gilberto gave Cruzeiro a 3-2 aggregate win over bitter rivals Atlético-MG. It was the Raposa's 36th state title. Santa Cruz won the Campeonato Pernambucano despite being beaten by Sport in the second leg, whilst Ceará sealed the Cearense with a comfortable victory over Guarani de Juazeiro. Atlético Goianiense and Bahia de Feira won the Campeonato Goiano and the Campeonato Baiano respectively.

Selected results. Paulista; Santos 2-1 Corinthians (aggregate 2-1). Libertadores; Santos 1-1 Once Caldas (aggregate 2-1). Copa do Brasil; Ceará 0-0 Coritiba, Vasco 1-1 Avaí.

Photo credits; (1) Moacyr Lopes Junior, (2) Danilo Verpa, (3) Cleber Mendes, (4) Alexandre Lops.)

Santos Establish Libertadores Advantage; Avaí Shock São Paulo in Copa do Brasil

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to my weekly round-up. It was a relatively quiet week in Brazil, with the first legs of state championship finals in São Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul proving predictably inconclusive. The most meaningful action came in the Copa do Brasil, where Avaí and Ceará produced upsets, knocking out São Paulo and Flamengo respectively. In the Libertadores, Santos picked up a crucial advantage against Once Caldas...

Copa Libertadores Round-up
As the phrase (nearly) goes; Once Caldas, twice shy. The Colombian side, who dispatched Cruzeiro in the last round, were thoroughly outplayed by Santos, who picked up a useful 1-0 win in the away leg of their quarter-final. As ever, it was Neymar at the centre of the action; the forward reportedly overcame fatigue to turn in an inspirational performance for the Peixe. The 19-year-old set up the only goal of the match, clipping a perceptive pass to Alan Patrick, who coolly slotted into the corner. More of the same at the Vila Belmiro should be enough for Santos to progress.

Santos goalscorer Alan Patrick battles for possession in Colombia.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
Santos were also in domestic action this week; they faced Corinthians in the first leg of their Paulistão final. A closely-fought match finished goalless at the Pacaembu, leaving all to play for in the second leg. Both sides came close to breaking the deadlock; Neymar struck the post following a mesmerising run, and Liédson saw his left-footed drive brush the upright. The sides meet again on Sunday.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
Flamengo, who had suffered a 2-1 defeat in the first leg of their quarter-final with Ceará, travelled to Fortaleza hoping to turn the tide. Initially, it seemed that they would do just that; Thiago Neves' brace put them in the driving seat within the first half hour. Ceará, however, had other ideas, and two quickfire goals from Washington ensured that the Rubro-Negro went home disappointed. Vasco, meanwhile, who had home advantage against Atlético Paranaense, did just enough; Élton's header put them through on away goals.

Ceará striker Washington (left) celebrates scoring against Flamengo.

Underdogs Avaí turned in a fabulous performance at the Ressacada, beating São Paulo 3-1 to reach the final four. Casemiro actually put the Tricolor ahead early on, but strikes from William, Bruno Silva, and Marquinhos Gabriel gave Silas' side an unexpected victory. São Paulo boss Paulo César Carpegiani paid heavily for the defeat; he was sacked today. Palmeiras, who had been trounced by Coritiba in the first leg of their semi-final, at least restored some pride in the return; the Verdão won 2-0 at the Pacaembu.

Best of the Rest
Grêmio gained the upper hand in the Campeonato Gaúcho final, beating bitter rivals Internacional 3-2 at the Beira-Rio. Young forward Júnior Viçosa was the star of the show, netting twice for the Imortal Tricolor. Paulo Roberto Falcão's side will have their work cut out the the Olímpico. In the Campeonato Mineiro, first blood went to Atlético-MG, who beat Cruzeiro 2-1. Former Roma winger Mancini scored the pick of the goals for the Galo, curling in a free-kick from an acute angle. Santa Cruz (about whom this superb blog is written) lead Sport in the Pernambuco final, whilst Goiás and Atlético-GO drew 1-1 in the first leg of the Campeonato Goiano playoff.

Selected results. Paulista; Corinthians 0-0 Santos. Libertadores; Once Caldas 0-1 Santos. Copa do Brasil; Palmeiras 2-0 Coritiba (2-6 on aggregate), Vasco 1-1 Atlético-PR (3-3 on aggregate, Vasco win on away goals), Avaí 3-1 São Paulo (3-2 on aggregate), Ceará 2-2 Flamengo (4-3 on aggregate).

(Photo credits; (1) Mauricio Dueñas, (2) LC Moreira.)

Brazilian Clubs Implode in Libertadores; Flamengo Crowned Carioca Champions

Never, reader, count your chickens before they hatch. The media in Brazil had been waxing lyrical about the dominance of the country's clubs in the Copa Libertadores; a golden year, with no fewer than five clubs in the quarter finals... the thrilling prospect of e Gre-Nal clássico (that's Grêmio vs Internacional, for any stragglers) in the last eight... the near certainty of a Brazilian champion. The teams just needed to see off modest oppositi... sorry, what? Four of them? Eliminated? Yes, indeed; during one mad evening, the ground opened up and swallowed four fifths of the Brazilian Libertadores challenge in one large gulp. Elsewhere, Flamengo tied up the Rio state championship with victory over Vasco, and Coritiba annihilated Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
The week actually got off to a positive start; Santos battled to a goalless draw against América, a result which ensured their progress to the quarter finals. The Peixe had young goalkeeper Rafael to thank; an impressive display between the sticks frustrated the Mexican side, and meant that Paulo Henrique Ganso's first leg strike turned out to be the decisive goal.

Now for the bad news. The remaining four sides - Grêmio, Internacional, Fluminense, and Cruzeiro - all suffered defeat on Wednesday night, and were consequently knocked out of the competition. Grêmio, for whom progress was only an outside bet after a woeful first leg performance, lost 1-0 away at Universidad Católica; Milovan Mirosevic (has a Chilean EVER had a more Serbian name?!) bagged the only goal with a late header.

Fred remonstrates with the referee during Fluminense's loss to Libertad.

Fluminense contrived to throw away a comfortable lead against Libertad (the match at the Engenhão finished 3-1 in the Tricolor's favour), going down 3-0 in Paraguay. Some of the blame must be placed on goalkeeper Ricardo Berna, who let Rodrigo Rojas' speculative shot slip through his hands for the opener, but Flu were still in a winning position going into the final five minutes. Smart late strikes from Miguel Samudio and José Ariel Nuñez, however, condemned the visitors to defeat. It emerged after the match that former Chelsea man Deco had refused to come on as a late substitute, and could leave Laranjeiras as a consequence.

Reigning Libertadores champions Internacional, having claimed a useful 1-1 draw in the away leg, welcomed Peñarol to the Beira-Rio. A goal within the first two minutes from young midfielder Oscar settled the nerves of the home fans, but the Uruguayan side responded in style, taking control with a two-goal salvo just after the break. The Colorado huffed and puffed, but were unable to find a way back into the tie. Coach Paulo Roberto Falcão, who was only appointed two weeks ago, may find his popularity dipping from its imperious peak.

Finally, and for me, most surprisingly, Cruzeiro were knocked out by Once Caldas. The Raposa had managed a 2-1 win in Colombia, having been almost unplayable in the group stage, were confident ahead of the return leg at the Arena do Jacaré (the impeccably-named Alligator Arena). Things, however, didn't exactly go to plan. With their usual passing game seemingly rocked by nerves, Cruzeiro invited pressure from the visitors, and only managed to get to the interval on level terms thanks to a stellar display from goalkeeper Fábio. A red card for Roger, however, was followed by two Once Caldas goals; a powerful header from Amaya and Dayro Moreno's simple finish. The Belo Horizonte side pushed forward in search of a goal, but none was forthcoming. There was, though, still time for one last blot on their copybook; coach Cuca sneakily elbowed an opposing striker on the touchline.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
Flamengo secured their 32nd state championship title on Sunday, overcoming Vasco da Gama on penalty kicks. After ninety somewhat tedious minutes without a goal, it was the Rubro-Negro who came out on top, largely due to Vasco's profligacy from the spot; Bernardo, Felipe Bastos, and Élton all contrived to miss from twelve yards. It was former Fluminense player Thiago Neves who dispatched the winning kick, sending Fla fans into delirium. The players, led by Ronaldinho (who has been rather more instrumental in instigating goal celebrations than attacks recently), proceeded to act out their popular Bonde do Mengão routine, to the delight of half of those at the Engenhão. Parabéns Flamengo, Campeão Carioca de 2011!

Patrícia Amorim and Ronaldinho lead the Flamengo celebrations.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
An impressive performance from Paulo Henrique Ganso helped Santos to a 2-0 win over São Paulo in their state championship semi-final. Ganso set up Elano's opener with a delicate cross, before adding one of his own; a cool finish following Neymar's swift break. São Paulo are now left to concentrate on the Copa do Brasil, and prepare for the Brasileirão.

Santos will meet Corinthians in the final, after the Timão overcame Palmeiras on penalties. Leandro Amaro and Willian traded goals during the ninety minutes, which were followed by an impeccable series of spot kicks in the shootout. After eleven successful efforts, the unlucky party was Verdão midfielder João Vitor, who was thwarted by Júlio César. The match was also notable for an injury to Palmeiras' Chilean playmaker Jorge Valdivia, who pulled up with an injury as a result of one of his now infamous 'air-shot' dribbles. He, as you might expect, has been the object of substantial mockery in the days since.

Copa do Brasil Round-up

As if to prove that their recent run (23 straight wins heading into Thursday's game) wasn't merely attributable to the standard of opponents in the Campeonato Paranaense, Coritiba put six goals past Palmeiras in the first leg of their cup quarter final. The pick of the bunch came from Anderson Aquino; the forward danced his way past some tired looking defenders to prod home in injury time. On this form, the Coxa will be no pushovers in Série A this year. The three remaining ties, meanwhile, are all in the balance; Flamengo suffered a narrow defeat to Ceará, São Paulo beat Avaí 1-0, and Vasco held Atlético-PR at the Baixada.

Coritiba striker Bill (!) celebrates his goal against Palmeiras.

Best of the Rest
Internacional won the second stage of the Campeonato Gaúcho, seeing off bitter rivals Grêmio on penalties. The two will meet again in the final playoff, however, because Grêmio were victorious in the primeiro turno. Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG sealed places in the final of the Minas Gerais state competition, racking up comfortable aggregate wins over América-TO and América-MG respectively.

Selected results. Carioca; Flamengo 0-0 Vasco (3-1 on pens). Paulista; Santos 2-0 São Paulo, Corinthians 1-1 Palmeiras (6-5 on pens). Libertadores; Cruzeiro 0-2 Once Caldas (2-3 on aggregate), América 0-0 Santos (0-1 on aggregate), Universidad Católica 1-0 Grêmio (3-1 on aggregate), Internacional 1-2 Peñarol (2-3 on aggregate), Libertad 3-0 Fluminense (4-3 on aggregate). Copa do Brasil; Flamengo 1-2 Ceará, Coritiba 6-0 Palmeiras, Atlético-PR 2-2 Vasco, São Paulo 1-0 Avaí.

(Photo credits; (1) Diego Benítez, (2) Gilvan de Souza, (3) Felipe Gabriel.)

Juninho Seals Vasco Return; Libertadores Loss for Grêmio

We are now, dear reader, getting to the business end of the first half of the Brazilian season; the state championships are finally drawing to a close, and the Copa Libertadores and is reaching its exciting climax. Without further ado, then, I present my weekly round-up...

Vasco 1-0 Olaria

Royalty. A word which provokes, depending on one's worldview, either a lump in the throat or a stomach ache. An institution which has spawned a million commemorative tea sets, a veritable Atlantic of cloying tat. Yes, reader, as you may have heard, a certain Prince got married today, clogging up the airwaves with the inconsequential ramblings of countless "royal experts" (as if that were a legitimate career). Before you reach for the indigestion tablets, however, I have an altogether more heartwarming royal communion for your consideration.

O Reizinho poses in Vasco's latest jersey.

Juninho Pernambucano, a Vasco da Gama idol thanks to a successful six year spell at the club earlier in his career, has confirmed his imminent return to the São Januário; an announcement which sent fans into raptures. Juninho, who has been representing Qatari side Al-Gharafa since leaving Olympique Lyonnais, is lovingly known among Vasco fans as O Reizinho da Colina (The Little King of the Hill... in reference to the location of the club's stadium, rather than to the cult cartoon series).

The good news didn't end there, however. After restating his love for the club ("This isn't a marketing ploy; Vasco and I are partners, in joy and in sorrow"), Juninho revealed that he had agreed to earn a "minimal salary" throughout the new contract. Most people, me included, took this only to mean that his paycheck would be somewhat smaller than the (presumably stratospheric) figures offered by Al-Gharafa. The reality, however, was utterly astounding. Juninho will receive a basic wage of around £55 per week (yes, you did read that correctly); only slightly above Brazil's national minimum.

Juninho during his first spell at Vasco.

This gesture, so at odds with the stereotype of the modern footballer, has cemented Juninho's place in the hearts of Vascaínos all over Brazil. The Reizinho is not simply fulfilling his promise to return to his heartland; he is doing so on terms which take the club's shaky financial position into account, in a manner which acknowledges his own emotional debt to the fans. So while the return of, for instance, Ronaldinho may have generated more press interest (and monetary gain) for the player and his agent, Vasco wouldn't swap their new (old) midfield monarch for the world.

On the pitch, meanwhile, Ricardo Gomes' side booked their place in the Taça Rio final with a 1-0 win over Olaria. Former Benfica striker Éder Luís scored the only goal of an evenly-balanced game at the Engenhão. Things, then, are looking up for Vasco. One minor worry persists, however; what if Juninho snuck a R$500,000 free-kick bonus into that contract?!

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
In the other Taça Rio semi-final, spot-kicks were needed to separate perennial rivals Flamengo and Fluminense after a 1-1 draw. Rafael Moura put the Tricolor ahead in the first half from close range, but a fine Thiago Neves restored parity. Flamengo goalkeeper Felipe was the hero in the penalty shootout, saving from Araújo and Tartá to hand victory to the Rubro-Negro. Fla will meet Vasco on Sunday, hoping to seal the Carioca crown.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
There were no surprises in the Paulistão quarter finals, with all four big guns booking their places in the final four. Goals from Ilsinho and Dagoberto (the former coming at the end of a lovely passing move) gave São Paulo a comfortable win over Portuguesa, while Santos snuck past Ponte Preta thanks to a Neymar strike. A rocket from Jorge Valdivia (who also gained infamy this week thanks to this amusing dribbling technique) sent Palmeiras on the way to a 2-1 win over Mirassol, and Corinthians beat Oeste thanks to a late Willian effort.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
Grêmio, who muddled through to the knockout phase of the Libertadores without really hitting peak form, were handed a wake-up call on Tuesday night, losing 2-1 at home to Chilean side Universidad Católica. In truth, it could have been far worse; reduced to 10 men after Borges mindlessly elbowed his marker, Grêmio were overrun for long periods, and only got on the scoresheet thanks to a moment of inspiration from Douglas. The Tricolor have it all to do in the second leg. Local rivals Internacional, meanwhile, battled to a creditable 1-1 draw with Peñarol in Montevideo. Leandro Damião's away goal could prove crucial for Paulo Roberto Falcão's side.

Another night, another win for the peerless Cruzeiro; they saw off Once Caldas with some aplomb in Colombia. José Ortigoza scored the goal of the game, chipping nonchalantly over the 'keeper after being released by Walter Montillo. Fluminense also picked up an impressive win, seeing of Libertad 3-1 at the Engenhão. Rafael Moura broke the deadlock, before stunning second half strikes from Marquinho and Darío Conca put the game to bed. At the Vila Belmiro, meanwhile, Paulo Henrique Ganso's low drive handed Santos a narrow victory over Mexican visitors América.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
Take a bow, Marcelo Oliveira. The 56-year-old coach guided Coritiba to a 1-0 win over Caxias on Wednesday, a result which saw the Coxa set a new Brazilian record of 22 consecutive victories. True enough, many of those wins have come in the modest Paraná state championship, but this shouldn't diminish the achievement of a team that spent 2010 in the second tier of the Brazilian game.

All smiles; Coritiba boss Marcelo Oliveira.

Elsewhere, Flamengo booked their place in the last eight with a straightforward win over Horizonte-CE, as did São Paulo, who beat Goiás 1-0. Vasco and Ceará also progressed this week, meaning that the quarter-final lineup is finally complete; Flamengo vs Ceará, Coritiba vs Palmeiras, Vasco vs Atlético-PR, Avaí vs São Paulo. Those games will take place on the 4th and 5th of May.

Best of the Rest
The final of the Campeonato Gaúcho's second stage will (surprise, surprise) pit Internacional against Grêmio; the Porto Alegre pair enjoyed semi-final wins over Juventude and Cruzeiro-RS respectively. In Florianópolis, Avaí managed a 2-0 win over rivals Figueirense, a win that saw them reach the final of the Campeonato Catarinense.

Selected results. Carioca; Vasco 1-0 Olaria, Flamengo 1-1 Fluminense (5-4 on pens). Paulista; São Paulo 2-0 Portuguesa, Palmeiras 2-1 Mirassol, Corinthians 2-1 Oeste, Santos 1-0 Ponte Preta. Libertadores; Once Caldas 1-2 Cruzeiro, Santos 1-0 América, Fluminense 3-1 Libertad, Peñarol 1-1 Internacional, Grêmio 1-2 Universidad Católica.

(Photo credits; (1) Flávio Dias, (2) Renan Medeiros, (3) Hugo Harada.)

Fluminense Live Up to 'Time de Guerreiros' Tag in Libertadores; Santos Also Progress

It was a marvellous week for Brazilian clubs in the Copa Libertadores; Internacional, Santos, and Fluminense all secured last 16 berths alongside Grêmio and Cruzeiro (who had both already qualified). The glorious outcome, however, tells only half of the story...

Argentinos Juniors 2-4 Fluminense
The odds were well and truly stacked against Fluminense this week. After a poor start to their Libertadores campaign (just one win in their opening five games), they needed an improbable combination of results to occur in order to progress from Group 3. Statistician Tristão Garcia, so often rolled out by the Brazilian media in such circumstances, gave the Tricolor a measly 8% chance of qualification. He might have even knocked a couple of points of that figure in the wake of the build-up to the match; striker Emerson was sent home from the travelling party after (allegedly... and amazingly) singing along to Bonde do Mengão sem Freio, a song which details the various merits of Flu's bitter rivals (and Emerson's former employers) Flamengo. If you insist on alienating yourself from your teammates, at least do it in style, right?!

Interim manager Enderson Moreira went with the (not so) classic big man/big man combination up front, with Rafael 'He-Man' Moura partnering Fred. Deco was absent once more, meaning that the creative responsibilities again fell on the modest shoulders of Darío Conca. It would be two less celebrated figures, however, who would combine for the opening goal; a delightful pass from Marquinho allowed leftback Júlio César to tuck home in the 18th minute. Early hope was quickly extinguished, however, when Argentinos were awarded a soft penalty; Gum was adjudged to have obstructed his man in the box, and Santiago Salcedo made no mistake from twelve yards.

Guerreiros; Flu players and coaching staff celebrate their decisive goal.

The sides continued to trade blows; Fred put Flu back in the driving seat with a long range free-kick, before Gustavo Oberman's deflected effort again restored parity. With news filtering through that América were holding Nacional, the Tricolor appeared to be blowing their chances; only a two-goal victory would be sufficient to see them leapfrog the Uruguayan side. The reigning Brazilian champions seemed to be crashing out at the first hurdle of the Libertadores.

Fluminense, though, are made of sterner stuff. A determined second half display brought two further goals (a Rafael Moura tap-in and a penalty from Fred), and allowed the visitors to scrape through to the knockout stages on goals scored. This was a night on which Flu lived up to the tag Time de Guerreiros (Team of Warriors), a nickname bestowed upon the side following a series of hard-fought victories over the last few years (in their 2008 Libertadores campaign, their 2009 Copa Sudamericana run, and their battle against relegation that same year).

As the Argentinos players instigated an ugly brawl after the final whistle, the words of Brazilian playwright Nelson Rodrigues (a lifelong Flu fan) seemed oddly prescient; "Nobody wins like we win. The victories of other teams are simple, almost boring. Ours are cardiopathic." Fluminense's Libertadores campaign, which seemed to have slipped slowly into darkness, has just been jolted back to life.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
Santos guaranteed their place in the knockout stages with a comfortable win over Deportivo Táchira at the Pacaembu. Early goals from Neymar and Jonathan put the Peixe in the driving seat, before Danilo's strike sealed the points. Internacional also picked up a routine victory, overcoming Emelec 2-0 at home. Rafael Sobis and Leandro Damião got the goals for Paulo Roberto Falcão's side.

Jonathan celebrates his goal for Santos.

Those results mean that Brazil has no fewer than five representatives in the last 16 of the competition. The ties involving these clubs are as follows; Once Caldas vs Cruzeiro, Santos vs América, Fluminense vs Libertad, Peñarol vs Internacional, Grêmio vs Universidad Cátolica.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
Ponte Preta handed Palmeiras only their second defeat of the Paulistão on Sunday, coming away with a 2-1 victory. That result meant that a point against Oeste was enough for São Paulo to secure top spot in the first phase of the competition. Santos finished the group stage on a high, beating Paulista 3-0 thanks to goals from Keirrison, Alan Patrick, and Maikon Leite, while Corinthians secured three points against Santo André. The Timão, however, will be without new signing Adriano for the forseeable future; O Imperador tore his left achilles tendon in training this week.

Predictably, then, all four of the big guns made it through to the quarter finals of the competition. The fixtures are as follows; São Paulo vs Portuguesa, Santos vs Ponte Preta, Palmeiras vs Mirassol, Corinthians vs Oeste.

Off the pitch, a special mention goes to São Paulo president Juvenal Juvêncio, who accused centreback Alex Silva of inventing transfer interest from Sporting Lisbon. If Silva did make up the whole thing, he certainly went to a lot of effort; he (supposedly) travelled to Portugal in order to discuss the potential move last week. This, of course, isn't the first time a São Paulo player has been suspected of such skulduggery; iconic goalkeeper Rogério Ceni was once suspended by the club for allegedly conjuring up a contract offer from Arsenal.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
Late strikes from Bernardo and Rômulo rescued Vasco da Gama from unexpected defeat against Olaria at the Estádio Cláudio Moacyr. That match was little more than a dress rehearsal for this weekend's clash; the two meet again in the semi-finals of the Taça Rio. The other tie will see Flamengo play perennial rivals Fluminense; the latter beat Nova Iguaçu 1-0 on Sunday, but Ronaldinho's late penalty meant that Fla squandered the opportunity to pick up three points. Botafogo miss out on the knockout stage, despite a 3-1 win over América; rightback Lucas scored two fine goals for the Alvinegro in that one.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
Palmeiras and Atlético-PR are both through to the quarter finals of the cup after midweek wins; Palmeiras overcame Santo André despite Kléber's (third successive) penalty miss, whilst the Furacão dispatched Bahia with some ease. Also in the last eight are Avaí, who snuck past Botafogo on away goals in a match marred by a bout of fisticuffs. A bad week for Botafogo was completed when they were greeted by a group of disgruntled fans upon their arrival back in Rio.

Best of the Rest
Both Internacional and Grêmio progressed to the semi-finals of the Taça Farroupilha (the second stage of the Campeonato Gaúcho... yes, it is that complicated); the former beat Santa Cruz-RS 1-0, whilst the latter needed penalties to overcome Ypiranga-RS. Cruzeiro finished top of the Campeonato Mineiro group stage, despite Atlético Mineiro's enormous 7-1 win over América-TO.

Selected results. Carioca; Flamengo 1-1 Macaé, América 1-3 Botafogo, Fluminense 1-0 Nova Iguaçu, Olaria 2-2 Vasco. Paulista; Santos 3-0 Paulista, São Paulo 1-1 Oeste, Santo André 0-2 Corinthians, Ponte Preta 2-1 Palmeiras. Libertadores; Santos 3-1 Deportivo Táchira, Argentinos Juniors 2-4 Fluminense, Internacional 2-0 Emelec.

(Photo credits; (1) Rafael Moraes, (2) Ivan Storti.)

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.)

Santos Overcome Colo-Colo in Dramatic Libertadores Clash; Palmeiras Reach Paulistão Summit

In this week of eighteen Champions League goals, the Copa Libertadores would have been forgiven for cowering in the corner, jealously observing its cousin's domination of the football dancefloor. Luckily for us, however, it did nothing of the sort; South America's premier club competition dusted off its glad rags and produced some drama of the highest calibre. There was a potentially ruinous defeat for Fluminense, a surprise loss for the previously unbeaten Internacional, and a five goal (and five red card) thriller between Santos and Colo Colo. Among all the excitement, it was Grêmio who kept their heads to guarantee a place in the last 16.

There was also, of course, a full schedule of state championship and domestic cup games; Brazil is a country that seems to cram a month into every seven-day period. With that in mind, let's cut to the chase...

Santos 3-2 Colo-Colo

If you like watching games with plenty of goals, indiscipline, and bizarre drama (that is, if you like football), then you're going to enjoy watching Santos. The seasiders are committed proponents of the the "you score six, we'll score seven" philosophy, and have a staggering array of attacking talent at their disposal; Zé Éduardo, Maikon Leite, Diogo, and Keirrison (OK, so maybe not the latter two!) all compete for one striking spot alongside Brazil stars Neymar, Elano, and Paulo Henrique Ganso.

Wednesday night's Libertadores clash with Colo-Colo provided an instructive example of the kind of drama Santos tend to provide; the Peixe raced into a 3-0 lead at the Vila Belmiro, but only just managed to hold out for the three points after a drastic late capitulation. Elano's delightful free-kick put the hosts ahead, before a deflected strike from Danilo stretched their advantage. Santos added a third early in he second half, when the mercurial Neymar danced through the Chilean side's defence before clipping casually home.

Neymask; the young Santos young striker celebrates his goal.

What followed, however, was even more arresting; Neymar received a second yellow card after putting on a mask handed to him by a fan. Brilliantly, photos later showed that the mask in question was one of NEYMAR'S OWN FACE, and was one of hundreds that had been distributed around the stadium as part of an advertising campaign. This was sport at its pantomime best, although an understandably displeased Neymar failed to see the funny side.

The excitement, though, was far from over. The hot-headed Zé Éduardo indulged in some handbags with Andrés Scotti, an incident which culminated in both players being dismissed. Patricio Jerez then brought the visitors back into contention, before Diego Rubio made it 3-2; finishing off a fine move with a composed finish. Santos nerves were beginning to fray; Elano, who had already been substituted, threw a towel at the Colo-Colo bench, and received a red card of his own. The Peixe would, by hook or by crook, manage to hold out in the remaining minutes; but not before Cristóbal Jorquera had racked up the game's fifth dismissal.

This was a rivetting encounter, even by Santos' standards, but it comes with a cautionary rejoinder. The imminent appointment of Muricy Ramalho, a coach who favours defensive discipline and pragmatism above all else, could spell the end of the seasiders' joyous approach. In a week in which former seleção icon Sócrates felt the need to bemoan the lack of joy in modern football, this would be a sad development indeed.

Copa Libertadores Round-up

Fluminense's terrible start to the year got worse on Wednesday night, as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Nacional in Uruguay. After a promising first half display, the Tricolor simply ran out of steam after the interval, and allowed Santiago García to net the crucial goals. Flu, whose Libertadores hopes were already hanging by a threat before the game at the Centenário, now need a mathematical miracle to reach the knockout stages. The ire aimed by supporters at coach Enderson Moreira, however, seems somewhat misplaced given that he is only acting as caretaker until the arrival of Abel Braga.

Fluminense midfielder Souza probes for an opening against Nacional.

There was better news for Grêmio, who sealed their place in the knockout stages with a 2-0 win over Junior Barranquilla. Lúcio and Borges both got on the scoresheet for the Tricolor, whose campaign has been quietly effective so far. Neighbours Internacional, meanwhile, who had hitherto been thoroughly impressive in the competition, turned in a woeful display against Jaguares, and were beaten 1-0.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up

Palmeiras moved to the top of the Paulistão with a 1-0 win over Santos on Sunday. Off the pitch, the Verdão, who have been so reliant on Kléber (the forward who bagged the winner at the Vila Belmiro), finally signed another striker; Wellington Paulista arrives on loan from Cruzeiro. Although perhaps not the marquee signing that fans hoped for, Wellington clearly ticked a number of boxes for Luiz Felipe Scolari; he is a hard worker both in attack and defence, seems unlikely to moan about being benched occasionally, and knows Kléber well from their time in Belo Horizonte. Things are looking up for Palmeiras.

At the Arena Barueri, a stunning individual goal from Lucas handed São Paulo a narrow victory over Mirassol. The young attacker surged from the halfway line, beating countless defenders before slotting home. Que golaço! Corinthians, meanwhile, could only manage a goalless draw wih Botafogo-SP.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up

Vasco maintained their upward trend under the stewardship of Ricardo Gomes, beating Bangu 4-0 at the Engenhão. Veteran playmaker Felipe was again the star of the show, playing a role in the opening three goals before curling home one of his own. At the Engenhão, Botafogo needed a late Antônio Carlos strike to rescue a point against Resende, but there were away wins for Flamengo (2-0 against Duque de Caxias) and Fluminense (2-1 against Volta Redonda).

Vasco forward Éder Luís celebrates his goal against Bangu.

Copa do Brasil Round-up

The second round of the cup was finally completed on Wednesday night, with no fewer than seven teams booking their place in the last 16. Botafogo and Caxias made light work of Paraná and Botafogo-PB respectively, but Vasco needed a late Bernardo strike to overcome ABC-RN. Goals from Rhodolfo and Ilsinho allowed São Paulo to overturn a first leg deficit against Santa Cruz, but Atlético Mineiro crashed out against Grêmio Prudente. Bahia and Santo André also progressed.

Best of the Rest

Cruzeiro remain top of the Campeonato Mineiro after a win and a draw this week, but Atlético-MG could close the gap with a win over Caldense on Sunday. In the Gauchão, Grêmio recorded a tightly-fought win over Veranópolis, but Inter could only manage a 1-1 draw with Lajeadense. Elsewhere, Adílson Batista, who was recently sacked by Santos, was appointed as the new Atlético Paranaense boss.

Selected results. Carioca; Vasco 4-0 Bangu, Volta Redonda 1-2 Fluminense, Duque de Caxias 0-2 Flamengo, Botafogo 1-1 Resende. Paulista; Santos 0-1 Palmeiras, São Paulo 1-0 Mirassol, Botafogo-SP 0-0 Corinthians. Libertadores; Grêmio 2-0 Junior Barranquilla, Santos 3-2 Colo-Colo, Jaguares 1-0 Internacional, Nacional 2-0 Fluminense.

(Photo credits; (1) Ivan Storti, (2) Ivan Franco, (3) Paulo Sergio.)

Rogério Reaches Century in Clássico; Cruzeiro Through to Last 16 of Libertadores

A short pause in domestic action while international games take place? Not in Brazil, partner. A full schedule of state championship, Copa do Brasil, and Taça Libertadores games was lit up by Rogério Ceni, the São Paulo goalkeeper who netted his 100th career goal against Corinthians. And no, that's not a typo. Elsewhere, Cruzeiro guaranteed their place in the knockout stages of the Libertadores, where they look likely to be joined by Internacional.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up

Oh, Rogério! You mythical goleiro artilheiro, you! You disrespecter of received wisdom! You one-man embodiment of everything that is great about football in your homeland! Yes, reader, Sunday was a magical day in Brazil; 38-year-old goalkeeper Rogério Ceni bent home a trademark free-kick to complete a century of goals for São Paulo. That the goal gave the Tricolor a victory over bitter rivals Corinthians made the moment all the more sweet.

Centurion; Rogério roars with joy at his 100th goal.

Rather than continuing to wax lyrical about RC01 here, I refer readers to a previous article of mine, where I weighed up the impact of the veteran at the Morumbi. Suffice it to say that Sunday's effort, which came sandwiched between nice goals from Dagoberto (for São Paulo) and Dentinho (for the Timão), prompted an outpouring of goodwill, both from São Paulinos the world over and from the Brazilian public more generally; the consensus was that Rogério, a true gentleman of the game, fully deserved his moment in the spotlight.

A Neymar-less Santos, meanwhile, scraping a tight 3-2 win over Ituano at the newly-reopened Novelli Júnior stadium. Rightback Jonathan opened his account for the Peixe, and there was also a goal for the much-maligned striker Keirrison. Palmeiras were also victorious, overcoming Bragantino with some ease; centreback Thiago Heleno bagged a brace for the Verdão in that one.

Off the field, both Adriano and Luís Fabiano were unveiled this week by their new clubs. Over 40,000 São Paulo fans packed into the Morumbi to welcome the former, although the presence of Rogério probably boosted attendance somewhat. The former Sevilla marksman was greeted as a returning hero by the club's fans, who hope that his goals will fire an impressive squad to glory this term. Adriano, on the other hand, was presented with relatively little fanfare; no fans were invited to the Corinthians training centre for the announcement. O Imperador admitted that his arrival at the Pacaembu was motivated by a desire to return to the Brazil side, and cited the "huge willpower" at his disposal. It seems unlikely, however, that many football fans would share this generous psychological appraisal.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
Tiny Boavista repeated their giant-taming antics this week, holding Botafogo to a 0-0 draw at their modest Cláudio Moacyr ground. Fluminense and Vasco also failed to produce any notable goalmouth action, sleepwalking to a goalless draw in Sunday's clássico. Thankfully, Flamengo took it upon themselves to liven things up, battling to a 3-3 draw with Madureira. A stunning own goal from Welinton put Fla in trouble early on, and they needed late goals from Deivid goal and Thiago Neves to rescue a point.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
A comfortable 2-0 win over Guaraní in Paraguay was enough to guarantee Cruzeiro their place in the last 16. The Raposa, who remain unbeaten in this year's competition, took the lead when Thiago Ribeiro coolly slotted home, before José Ortigoza's late strike sealed the points. Internacional produced another impeccable continental performance, strolling to victory over the marvellously-monickered Bolivian side Jorge Wilstermann. Young midfielder Oscar was the star of the show at the Beira-Rio, opening the scoring and providing a threat througout. Experienced Libertadores campaigner Andrés D'Alessandro also found the net.

Cruzeiro forward Thiago Ribeiro celebrates his goal against Guaraní.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
São Paulo must make up a deficit in the second leg of their tie with Santa Cruz, after slumping to an unexpected 1-0 defeat on Wednesday. Vasco and Botafogo must also negotiate tricky return matches; the former drew with the acronym-tastic ABC-RN, whilst the latter picked up a narrow win over Paraná in Caio Júnior's first game in charge. A number of teams did, however, manage to book their places in the last 16; Goiás, Coritiba, Avaí, Ceará, and Horizonte-CE all did enough to progress.

Best of the Rest
Cruzeiro opened up some breathing space at the summit of the Campeonato Mineiro with a 3-2 win over América-MG. Once more it was Walter Montillo who made the difference for Cuca's men; the Argentine nicked a late winner at the Melão. In the Gauchão, Grêmio beat Pelotas 3-1, but Inter could only manage a draw with São Luiz.

Selected results. Paulista; São Paulo 2-1 Corinthians, Ituano 2-3 Santos, Palmeiras 3-0 Bragantino. Carioca; Fluminense 0-0 Vasco, Boavista 0-0 Botafogo, Flamengo 3-3 Madureira. Libertadores; Internacional 3-0 Jorge Wilstermann, Guaraní 0-2 Cruzeiro.

(Photo credits; (1) Tom Dib, (2) Andrés Cristaldo.)

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.)

Ramalho Exit Rocks Fluminense; Ganso Scores on Comeback

It's a testament to the unpredictability of Brazilian football that, just a couple of months into the season, two of the sides widely tipped for success this year - Fluminense and Santos - find themselves in turmoil. The latter, who still have no permanent coach in the wake of Adílson Batista's dismissal, are teetering on the brink of elimination from the Copa Libertadores after defeat against Colo Colo. The return of Paulo Henrique Ganso from injury does offer some solace, but the Peixe face an uphill battle to progress past the first stage of the continent's biggest competition. Things, though, could be worse, as the reigning Brazilian champions found out on Sunday...

Flamengo 0-0 Fluminense
As parting shots go, this one was up there with the best. "There were even," claimed Muricy Ramalho, finishing off his rant at former employers Fluminense, "rats in the changing rooms." Thus ended a turbulent few days at Laranjeiras; a healthy dose of humiliation was mixed into an already-potent cocktail of confusion, disappointment, and despair. Sunday's game against Flamengo, normally one of the highlights of the Campeonato Carioca, turned out to be neither interesting nor particularly relevant to the major developments of the week.

Alarm bells were firstly raised on Saturday, when Flu's vice president Alcides Antunes was sacked. Antunes, for whom, despite rumours of a recent rift, Ramalho held a long-standing admiration, found out about his dismissal on the radio. One day later, after one of the dullest clássicos in recent memory, Muricy announced that he too would be leaving the club that he guided to the Brasileirão title just three months ago.

Flu jab; Ramalho contemplates his future during Sunday's game.

The decision to leave, claimed Ramalho, had actually been made before the weekend's events. The 55-year-old declared that he felt let-down by the Tricolor hierarchy, who reneged on promises to improve facilities at the club. Of particular concern was the club's training centre, which - rodents aside - is apparently vastly inferior to those of similarly prestigious clubs in the country. The abject state of the turf on the practice pitch, for example, is thought to have contributed to Fluminense's frequently lengthy injury list in recent months.

The situation at Laranjeiras, of course, must be unfavourably compared to that at São Paulo, a club that reaped the benefits of the widespread structural change instigated by Muricy during his time at the Morumbi. It seems likely that Ramalho's decision was one motivated by frustration at the intransigence of the Fluminense directors, who, despite the club's obvious improvement on the pitch, remained reluctant to surrender power to the coach. Only hindsight will reveal whether their strategy was a wise one.

Campeonato Carioca Round-up
With Flamengo and Fluminense mustering precious little excitement, it was left to Vasco and Botafogo to provide some attacking intrigue this week. Thankfully, both stepped up to the plate, netting four goals apiece. Argentine striker Herrera has rediscovered his form of late, and netted a brace in Botafogo's victory over Americano. Emblematic forward Loco Abreu and defender João Felipe were also on target for O Glorioso.

Old man river; Vasco's Felipe (right) competes for a header.

Madureira certainly put up a fight against Vasco, twice equalising in the second period, but finally succumbed to two late strikes; Bernardo rounded off his hattrick with a brave header, before Felipe Bastos drilled home to secure the points. Significant for Vasco was the performance of veteran playmaker Felipe (not-Bastos), who set up the first two goals, and impressed with his passing. The Gigante da Colina arguably enjoyed an even better week off the pitch; wrapping up the signing of Internacional striker Alecsandro, and receiving the news that Juninho Pernambucano is keen on a return to the São Januário.

Campeonato Paulista Round-up
All of the big guns in the São Paulo state championship recorded victories at the weekend, leaving them all tied on 28 points. São Paulo (FC) remain top thanks to a convincing 3-0 win over Santo André. Dagoberto nodded home the opener after some delightful wing play from Juan, before youngsters Lucas (with a stunning Paul Scholes-style volley) and Casemiro put the game to bed. With Luís Fabiano returning to the Morumbi, São Paulo look a good bet to challenge for honours this year.

Corinthians were without Liédson for their match against Mirassol, and needed a late Bruno César goal to ensure maximum points. Liédson's replacement, the young striker Willian, gave a good account of himself, finding the net with two predatory efforts. The Timão also had an administrative reshuffle this week, with former Arsenal midfielder Edu being appointed as the club's new director of football.

Back in action; Santos star Paulo Henrique Ganso.

Paulo Henrique Ganso, making his first appearance since August, came off the bench to inspire Santos to a 2-1 win over Botafogo-SP. A visionary pass from youngster allowed Zé Éduardo to set up Elano for the opener, before Ganso himself got on the scoresheet with a tap-in. Palmeiras, meanwhile, kept up their challenge with a win over São Bernardo; Danilo and Patrik bagged the goals.

Copa Libertadores Round-up
Santos, despite the excitement generated by Ganso's return earlier in the week, fell to a 3-2 loss against Colo Colo; a result which leaves them with just two points at the halfway point of the group stage. Elano's long range free-kick and a glorious Neymar finish gave the seasiders hope in Chile, but goals from Paredes, Miralles, and Scotti ensured that the hosts emerged victorious. Santos, who are apparently keen on appointing the aforementioned Muricy Ramalho as permanent coach, have plenty of work to do to progress.

Grêmio picked up a useful draw away to Léon de Huánuco, thanks to a strike from Carlos Alberto. The former Porto man proceeded to celebrate in amusing style; imitating the "bum-bouncing" of TP Mazembe goalkeeper Muteba Kidiaba, who in December helped the African club defeat Grêmio's local rivals Internacional at the Club World Cup. I take my hat off to such ludicrously convoluted baiting.

Internacional and Cruzeiro, the two Brazilian clubs who have really impressed in the competition so far, maintained their fabulous records. The former beat Jorge Wilstermann 4-1, with young forward Leandro Damião impressive yet again. Cruzeiro, meanwhile, racked up no fewer than six goals against Tolima, taking their tournament total to 15 in just four matches. Mano Menezes was in attendance at the Arena do Jacaré, and will have been impressed with a number of players, including Wallyson, Roger, and recent seleção call-up Henrique.

Copa do Brasil Round-up
Four teams secured their place in the last sixteen of the Brazilian cup thanks to comfortable away wins. Flamengo, who remain unbeaten in 2011, brushed Fortaleza aside, while a Kléber-inspired Palmeiras routed minnows Uberaba 4-0. Náutico and Atlético Paranaense also advanced, beating Bangu and Paulista respectively.

Selected results. Carioca; Flamengo 0-0 Fluminense, Botafogo 4-0 Americano, Madureira 2-4 Vasco. Paulista; Santos 2-1 Botafogo-SP, São Paulo 3-0 Santo André, Mirassol 2-3 Corinthians, Palmeiras 2-0 São Bernardo. Libertadores; Léon de Huánuco 1-1 Grêmio, Colo Colo 3-2 Santos, Cruzeiro 6-1 Tolima, Jorge Wilstermann 1-4 Internacional. Copa do Brasil; Fortaleza 0-3 Flamengo, Uberaba 0-4 Palmeiras.

(Photo credits; (1) Ivo Gonzalez, (2) Gilvan de Souza, (3) Miguel Schincariol.)