Striker Obina scored three goals Sunday for Palmeiras to rout Corinthians
3-0 and join Atletico Mineiro at the top of the Brazilian league.
Both teams have 28 points from 14 matches, but Atletico Mineiro, which fell
1-0 at home to Goias, is ahead on goal difference.
Corinthians had to play without striker Ronaldo from the 20th minute because
the striker injured his hand.
It was Palmeiras' fifth victory in the last six matches against Corinthians,
keeping the four-time national champion unbeaten against the rival since a
loss in the 2006 Brazilian league.
Palmeiras dominated the match from the start in Presidente Prudente, and
Obina made it 1-0 with a diving header after a right-flank cross from
midfielder Pierre in the 31st minute. Obina added to the lead with a penalty
in the 60th. He had to take the penalty twice because the referee said the
area was invaded by Palmeiras players the first time.
The former Flamengo striker closed the scoring in a breakaway in the 65th,
hitting an open net after receiving a pass from midfielder Cleiton Xavier.
Obina and Xavier were free from any markers and had only goalkeeper Felipe
to beat inside the area.
Corinthians played a man down from the 75th after a hard foul by substitute
defender Alessandro on Pierre.
Ronaldo was substituted after hurting his left hand during a fall following
a ball dispute in midfield. Further exams were needed to determine the
extent of the injury, but Corinthians doctor Paulo de Faria told local media
the striker may have fractured his hand.
It was in Presidente Prudente, also against Palmeiras, that Ronaldo made his
debut with Corinthians in March after more than a year since his third
serious knee injury of his career, coming off the bench to score an
injury-time equalizer in a 1-1 result. A plaque honouring Ronaldo's goal was
placed at the Prudentao stadium.
Ronaldo had scored six goals in his last five matches coming into Sunday's
round.
Newly signed Palmeiras coach Muricy Ramalho was at the stadium and will
start working Monday. The team was led by interim coach Jorginho.
Corinthians dropped to fifth in the 20-team standings with 23 points.
Atletico Mineiro missed a chance to stay in sole possession of first place
with the loss to Goias at Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte. It was the
team's first defeat in five matches.
Goias midfielder Iarley scoredin the 81st minute, silencing more than 50,000
Atletico Mineiro fans. Goias, which was coming off a 2-1 come-from-behind
win over Palmeiras last week, reached sixth place with the win, its third in
a row.
Defending champion Sao Paulo defeated Barueri 2-1 to move within 10 points
from the leaders. It was Sao Paulo's first away victory in 11 matches.
Seventh-place Barueri, playing in the first division for the first time,
hadn't lost in 10 matches.
Fluminense extended its winless streak to nine games after a 1-1 draw with
Cruzeiro at Maracana stadium, a result that left Fluminense in 19th place
and Cruzeiro in 16th.
In Santos, Flamengo rallied to beat Santos 2-1 after a goal by former Inter
Milan striker Adriano. It was Flamengo's first win in an official match at
the Vila Belmiro stadium.
Santos scored at Vila Belmiro through substitute midfielder Robson in the
69th, but Adriano equalized in the 77th with a powerful long-range shot.
Flamengo's winner came in the 88th with an own-goal by Santos defender Para.
Flamengo, a five-time national champion, was led by interim coach Andrade
because Cuca was fired last week after a string of disappointing results.
The popular club moved to ninth in the standings.
It was Santos' first loss since former Real Madrid coach Vanderlei
Luxemburgo took over the team last week after being fired from Palmeiras.
Sport drew 3-3 with Nautico at Ilha do Retiro stadium in Recife, while
Vitoria reached third place with a 1-0 win over Coritiba in Salvador.
On Saturday, Botafogo extended it's unbeaten streak to five matches after a
3-2 victory over third-place Internacional at Engenhao stadium in Rio de
Janeiro. The result moved Botafogo out of relegation zone and into 15th
place.
Gremio rallied to beat Santo Andre 3-2 at Olimpico stadium in Porto Alegre,
while Avai defeated 18th-place Atletico Paranaense 3-1 at Arena da Baixada
stadium in Curitiba.
