Luxemburgo fumes over Palmeiras red cards
Reuters - Sunday 20 July 2008, 23:44
RIO DE JANEIRO - Palmeiras coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo was furious with his players after two of them were sent off in a 3-2 defeat to lowly Goias in the Brazilian championship on Sunday.
Striker Kleber was dismissed for the third time in the competition following an off-the-ball incident in the 63rd minute and 2002 World Cup-winning forward Denilson was red-carded after the final whistle for dissent.
"That just can't happen," Luxemburgo told the post-match media conference. "Denilson is 30 years old and should be experienced enough to know that you don't go and remonstrate with the referee after the game.
"I didn't like Kleber's sending-off either," added the former Real Madrid and Brazil coach.
Palmeiras had pulled back from 2-0 down to tie the score 2-2 at halftime after Alex Mineiro and Jeci scored in a four-minute spell just before the break, wiping out Alex Terra and Paulo Henrique's goals for the hosts in the opening 20 minutes.
But Goias stole the points when Alex Terra turned Romerito's cross into the net on the hour.
Palmeiras, with 21 points in 13 games, dropped to sixth and Goias, who have 14 points, stayed 17th in the 20-team table.
Goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored his first goal of the competition to set champions Sao Paulo on the way to a 2-1 win over Botafogo.
Rogerio, officially recognised as the game's highest-scoring goalkeeper, converted a first-half penalty for the 80th goal of his career.
Midfielder Carlos Alberto levelled for Botafogo after a spell of pressure in the second half but Dagoberto snatched an 88th minute winner for Sao Paulo, who climbed to fifth with 23 points.
Flamengo's lead at the top was cut to one point after they lost 1-0 at home to Vitoria, their second defeat in four days. Flamengo remain on 26 points after 13 games.
Dinei broke down the right and scored with an angled shot in the 53rd minute and move his team up to fourth, ahead of Sao Paulo on the number of games won.
Gremio went second with a 1-0 win over Cruzeiro, Paulo Sergio scoring the winner as the visitors waited in vain for the offside flag.
Santos, one point and one place off the bottom, won for the first time in eight games under new coach Cuca, beating Sport Recife 1-0.
Striker Kleber Perreira scored the winner, heading in a rebound after his penalty was saved by Sport goalkeeper Magrao.
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