Palmeiras beats Fluminense and is virtual Brazilian champion – 12/03/2023 – Sport

It will be very difficult for any of the direct competitors to take away Palmeiras’ second consecutive title, their 12th national title.

With the 1-0 victory over Fluminense at Allianz Parque, in the penultimate round of the tournament, the Alviverde team reached 69 points and practically got their hands on the Brasileiro-2024 cup.

• See here how the Brazilian 2023 classification is.

The score can still be reached by Atlético-MG and Flamengo, who can also reach the same 20 victories that Palmeiras achieved this Sunday (3). It is unlikely that one of the two will be able to reach Palmeiras’ goal difference: 31. Atlético-MG has a goal difference of 23, Flamengo, 15.

Specifically, what Palmeiras’ victory over Fluminense determined was the exclusion of Grêmio from the list of possible champions. The team from Rio Grande do Sul, which beat Vasco in Porto Alegre 1-0, reached 65 points and can reach a maximum of 68.

The disappointment, already somewhat announced a few rounds ago, was due to Botafogo. The black and white team from Rio needed to beat Cruzeiro at home to still be able to dream, even remotely, of the title. But the 0-0 draw, in addition to burying the dream of the title, took the team out of direct qualification for the Libertadores for now.

In a packed Allianz Parque, Fluminense started the game well and had two scoring opportunities, but from midway through the first half the home team grew stronger and imposed themselves.

In the 29th minute of the first half, Zé Rafael made a deep pass to Breno Lopes, who beat the tricolor defender in the race and hit it with his left foot to beat goalkeeper Fábio.

The team had two goals disallowed in the first half. One in the 16th minute, when Endrick handled the ball before Breno Lopes scored, and another in the 40th minute, when the ball went across the baseline before Marcos Rocha crossed for Breno Lopes to score again.

Palmeiras continued to improve in the second half. And then Fluminense’s situation became complicated with the expulsion of right-back Justen, in the 8th minute.

Flamengo

At Maracanã, Flamengo beat Cuiabá 2-1 and reached the same 66 points as Atlético-MG.

Just 4 minutes into the first half, Luiz Araújo opened the scoring for the Red and Black with a shot from inside the area. In first-half stoppage time, at 48, Pedro expanded, scoring with a header.

In the 33rd minute of the second half, Clayson, with a penalty, reduced the score for Cuiabá.

The match at Maracanã marked Felipe Luís’s farewell to the Rio team.

Botafogo

At the Nilton Santos stadium (Engenhão), Botafogo, one of those who could still, mathematically, take the title from Palmeiras if they won their last two matches, received Cruzeiro and scored just one point. It was a 0-0 draw.

Relegation

At the bottom of the table, the teams trying to escape being company for América-MG, Coritiba and Goiás in Série B in 2024 played their matches away from home. And they got it wrong.

Only Cruzeiro scored, drawing with Botafogo 0-0.

Bahia, playing at the Independência stadium, in Belo Horizonte against the bottom of the table, América-MG, lost 3-2 and remains in Z4.

Vasco went to Porto Alegre to face Grêmio and lost 1-0. Before the match, the club and the Grêmio fans paid several tributes to Luis Suárez, who played his last match at the Arena this Sunday. And to crown the celebration, the Uruguayan scored the team’s goal in the first minute of the second half. Suárez will play his last match for the Rio Grande do Sul tricolor on Wednesday (6), at Maracanã, against Fluminense.

Cruz-Maltino maintained its 42 points and is still at risk of relegation, as it could be overtaken by Bahia, which has 41 points.

Santos visited Athletico-PR in Curitiba and also did not score. The 3-0 defeat still leaves the team at risk of falling. The team has 43 points.

With the defeats of the three direct competitors, Cruzeiro and Corinthians remained in Série A next year, as they can no longer be reached by Bahia.