Remo fans woke up this Thursday (29) believing in a miracle. The 2-1 victory over Botafogo, last night (28), kept Leão Azul - who had gone 12 games without winning in the competition - alive in the fight against decline in the Brazilian Championship. The duel at Mangueirão, in Belém, valid for the 33rd round, was broadcast live on Rádio Nacional.
With 29 points and 15 more to play for, the team from Pará is six behind Internacional, the first team outside the relegation zone, which includes the four worst placed teams in the competition.
Glorioso, with 39 points, remains threatened with relegation to Series B. They are five points ahead of Grêmio, who opens the so-called Z-4 and still takes to the field in the round. This Thursday, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), Tricolor Rio Grande do Sul will face Athletico-PR in Porto Alegre.
It didn't take long for the net to swing in Mangueirão. Seven minutes into the first half, full-back Marcelinho crossed from the right, defender Domingos Andrade let possession of the ball slip away and striker Jajá took the opportunity to finish, almost in the small area, and put Remo ahead.
In the final stage, at nine minutes, striker Gabriel Taliari prevented the ball from passing through the baseline and placed it into the area on the right. The cross deflected off Huguinho and fell to midfielder Leonel Picco, who shot into the corner of goalkeeper Gabriel Batista, increasing the Pará team's advantage.
In the 37th minute, after headers from striker Tiquinho Soares and defender Marçal, midfielder Edenílson completed the ball into the net, scoring a goal for Botafogo. Despite the pressure, Glorioso failed to achieve a draw.
Bahia wins tricolor duel
In another game on Wednesday night, Bahia defeated São Paulo 3-2 at Arena Fonte Nova, in Salvador. This was only coach Rogério Ceni's second triumph in 15 matches against the team where he is an idol as a goalkeeper and where he spent 25 years of his career as a player.
The Steel Squadron, with 53 points, follows the group of the top five (G-5), which qualify for the Libertadores. The Bahians occupy sixth place, one point behind Fluminense, fifth.
Tricolor from São Paulo, with 43 points, is 11 behind the G-5 and nine behind the Z-4, and could be eight if Grêmio wins this Thursday and Inter enters the relegation zone. Soberano needs at least two points in the next five games to rid itself of any possibility of falling.
Bahia opened the scoring after five minutes, with Rodrigo Nestor. After a cross from midfielder Jean Lucas on the right, the midfielder, a great player in São Paulo, headed the ball into the goal. Four minutes later, advancing on the same side of the field, full-back Marcos Vitor placed it in the area and striker Erick Pulga finished into the net.
The visitors looked for equality before the break. At 42, midfielder Lucas was called just before the edge of the area by striker Jonathan Calleri and shot into the left corner of goalkeeper Ronaldo, scoring again after eight months. At the end of stoppage time, midfielder Damián Bobadilla took the leftovers from a corner, taken by full-back Pedro Lima, and left everything the same.
In the second half, in the 35th minute, midfielder Éverton Ribeiro took a free kick on the right, midfielder Erick cleared it and Marcos Vitor, with a header, completed the goal, ensuring the triumph for Bahia.
