Rumours of Corinthians demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Gameweek 22, played out over Wednesday and Thursday this past midweek, saw another epic match result in another huge shift in momentum. Corinthians, who have been creaking along of late without really convinving, served up a massive display of resilince as they beat Flamengo to take back the league lead.
With another football league kicking off tonight in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; the Brazilian football league showed that it is still one of the best when it comes to thrilling, explosive and unpredictable, parity filled action.
Tite's charges showed the hallmark of Champions to come from behind, to deservedly beat fellow contenders Flamengo, 2-1, in the late game on Thursday. Veteran striker Deivid, once the number 99 at Fenerbahce, scored his ninth goal of the season, but first in eight games, to give the visiting Rio giants the half-time lead at the Paolo Machado Municipal Stadium in Sao Paulo. However Portuguese striker Liedson rocked the 2011 Carioca Champions with a late double; pulling Corinthians even just after the hour and then winning it two minutes from the end. It was a deserved win as the Rio giants peppered Flamengo with shots throughout and dominated every offensive category. For Flamengo, Ronaldinho was largely muted, picking up a yellow card, one of four handed out to Wanderlei Luxemburgo's team.
Corinthians improve to 43 points from 22 games with a positive difference of 13, seven points clear of Flamengo, who drop to fifth, on 36 points. Corinthians win for the second time in three games, after a mini slump of just one win in four. Flamengo are now winless in seven games, having picked up only three points in that span. They are listing badly.
The rest of Rio was celebrating however, as Fluminense proved that we may have, and this blogger in particular, been a bit hasty in penning their obituaries. The defending Champions beat Cruzeiro 2-1 in Belo Horizonte, in the late game on Wednesday. Fred, from the spot and Marquinho scored an early pair of goals before Walter Montillo pulled one back for the home side.
They rise to sixth, on 34 points, but with a better goal difference than Palmeiras, who drop to seventh. Fluminense have now won three games on the trot and are perhaps making a late run to retain their title. I am still sceptical, but their recovery and fight are both commendable. Cruzeiro have now just collected a single point from their last three games as they drop to 12th.
The at-large Rio pair of Vasco and Botafogo also won and remain dark horses for the title. While Vasco triumphed earlier on Thursday, beating Coritiba 2-0 at home, with veteran Juninho Pernambucano and Romulo scoring the goals, Botafogo absolutely thrashed Ceara on Wednesday, 4-0 on Wednesday.
German Gustavo Herrera scored a double, El Loco Sebastien Abreu and Cidinho (the 'inho' naming factory was out of the letters 'c', 'r', and 'z') scored markers late in the game and Coritiba played half the game with ten men after Fabricio was sent off just before half time.
Botafogo remain fourth, having risen briefly to second on Wednesday night, with 40 points. Vasco, stay third on 41, tied on points but trailing on goals to Sao Paulo. The great news for Botafogo is that they have a game on all the teams around them, having played just 21 games. The bad news - it's against a resurgent Santos.
Speaking of Sao Paulo, they won as well on Wednesday, beating Atletico Mineiro 2-1 at Morumbi. A goal scored in the opening minute from young national team starlet Lucas put them on their way, before Rever revered, I mean levelled, things in the tenth minute. However striker Dagoberto scored the winner just after half time as Mineiro faded, losing Leonardo Silva to a late red. Sao Paulo moved back briefly into the lead overnight Wednesday, after their second consecutive win while the visitors had their mini-revival halted at the same run, but drop back into the relegation zone.
Internacional were the other big winners, hammering bottom side America 4-2 at the Beira-Rio. After four games without a win, Inter turned on the style. Leandro Damiao, fresh from his first ever goal for the national side in their win over Ghana, scored for the second home game in a row, as did U-20 striker Oscar. Argentine playmaker Andres D'Alessandro notched a penalty and the opener was turned in by Rodrigo Moledo. For America, they fought hard and refused to throw in the towel, even at 4-0 down. Andre Dias pulled one back before Kempes scored his sixth goal in nine games.
Santos, won again, recording another away win at Avai, winning 2-1, with goals from league leading striker Borges and Felipe Anderson turning things around after William, who else, had scored an early penalty to give Avai the lead.
Palmeiras drew again, dropping points for the third game in a row, as they were held 2-2 at At Para. Henrique and Fernandao gave Luis Scolari's side the lead twice, but Para levelled things each time through Ecuadorian forward Joffre Guerron and midfielder Marcinho who scored a penalty. Impressively, At Para lost influential midfielder Cleber Santana to a red card in the 36th minute but held on anyway. At Para remain in 19th spot.
In the remaining games, At Go held Figueirense to a 1-1 draw at home, with Wellington Nem's goal for the visitores being cancelled out by Agenor. All the scoring happened between the 10th and 15th minute. On Thursday, Gremio scored a rare away win, beating Bahia 2-1 in Salvador. Brandao and Damian Escudero, with his second in as many games, giving Gremio the lead before Bahia got one back through Souza.
The most emphatic result was Botafogo's crushing of Ceara but the most crucial were Corinthians' and Fluminense's wins.
Borges still leads all attackers with 15 goals while Walter Montillo is now tied with Ronaldinho on 12 strikes.
Full table can be found here.
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At least the top 13 sides will qualify for continental competition next spring while the bottom four teams will get relegated to the 2012 Serie B. Santos added to the four spots the league gets in the 2012 Copa Libertadores by winning this year's edition.
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Vasco Da Gama, who won the Copa Do Brasil, have booked a spot at the 2012 Copa Libertadores.
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