Palmeiras troubles mount after Mineiro defeat
Reuters - Monday 10 September 2012, 05:25
Copa Brasil winners
Palmeiras slipped to a 3-0 loss at Ronaldinho's Atletico Mineiro
on Sunday to remain mired in the Brazilian championship
relegation zone.
Two goals from young striker Bernard helped Mineiro end a
run of four matches without a win and strengthened the side's
grip on second place, two points behind leaders Fluminense with
a game in hand.
The loss leaves Palmeiras, coached by former Brazil and
Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, 30 points behind the
leaders and five adrift of Coritiba, the lowest-placed team
outside the relegation zone.
Despite struggling in the league, the Copa Brasil victory
has already ensured Palmeiras a berth in the South American
Libertadores Cup next year but the side will be hoping to climb
out of trouble in the final 15 games of the season.
On a weekend when many leading players were absent on
international duty, Santos and Sao Paulo served up a
disappointing 0-0 draw in their "clasico" at the Vila Belmiro in
front of a paltry crowd of less than 7,000.
Santos idol Neymar, team-mate Arouca and Sao Paulo
midfielder Lucas were unavailable as they prepared for Brazil's
friendly against China in Recife on Monday, while Santos
playmaker Ganso was out through injury.
Both clubs also lost players to Brazil's Olympic team during
the recent London Games.
Fluminense beat Internacional 1-0 away in front of another
small crowd of around 7,000 at the Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre,
most of which is closed while construction work for the 2014
World Cup is being carried out.
Striker Fred scored the only goal of the game after some
fine approach play by winger Wellington Nem against an Inter
side missing Brazil striker Leandro Damiao, Uruguay's Diego
Forlan and Argentina midfielder Pablo Guinazu.