Now SE Palmeiras is in 2nd place with 46 points only 3 points behind Grêmio FBPA that lost to Goiás EC at home on Saturday by 1-2.

Cruzeiro was debuting Thiago Ribeiro who came from Qatar’s Al-Rayyan. Unusually Palmeiras showed up with 3 centre-backs, 6 IN THE MIDFIELD! liberating both full-backs with Léo Lima and Sandro Silva as defensive midfielders; Diego Souza and Evandro (who played terribly) as attacking midfielders and only Lenny as striker. Palmeiras couldn’t count with Kléber and our topscorer Alex Mineiro ‘cos their suspensions

The match started pretty good with both teams playing well but at 30′ Élder Granja had crossed to Lenny who shot away missing a huge chance.

At 42′ Diego Souza had received a great pass from Jumar and put it in the back of the net.

At 45′ Ramires had passed to Wagner face-to-face with Marcos missed the opportunity.

At 55′ Wagner had free-kicked and T. Ribeiro deflected it with danger.

At 57′ T. Martinelli had been in front of Marcos and the cruzeirense shot Marcos couldn’t get the ball but L. Lima saved us over the line goal.

At 59′ Stupidly Heber Lopes sent off Lenny for tackling T. Martinelli even not touch him.

At 90+1′ T. Ribeiro had given a great shoot who Marcos made a beautiful defense.

We had won ‘cos Marcos showed football of a world champion. The big goalkeeper doesn’t make many defenses. Is that one who made the game’s defense and it was what he did. The last defense remembered me that one against Germany in the World Cup’s final in 2002. I’m very glad for betting on him and on his recovery.

Luxemburgo’s speech after match

On Wednesday Palmeiras is gonna face Vasco da Gama at home for Sudamericana Cup that we lost away for 3-1 but i think we’ll win Vasco even with 2nd team.

D. Souza’s goal

CRUZEIRO 0 v.1 PALMEIRAS

Cruzeiro: Fábio, Jonathan (Camilo 61′), T. Martinelli, Espinoza and Fernandinho (Wanderley 84′); Fabrício, Henrique, Ramires and Wagner; Jajá (G. Magrão 82′) and T. Ribeiro.
Coach: A. Batista
Subs not used:
Booked: Fabrício and Camilo

Palmeiras: Marcos, Gustavo, Maurício and Martinez; E. Granja, S. Silva, L. Lima (Jumar 72′), Evandro (Gladstone 84′), D. Souza (T. Cunha 72′) and Leandro; Lenny.
Coach: V. Luxemburgo
Subs not used: Deola, F. Capixaba, Maicossuel and Jefferson
Booked: Lenny, Gustavo, Maurício, Martinez and L. Lima
Sent off: Lenny
Goal: D. Souza 42′

Venue: Mineirão
Referee: Héber Lopes (PR)
Attendance: unrevealed

The match against Barueri was boring for my side, of course, Barueri still had a chance to qualify but it needed for other results like defeats of Ponte Preta and Corinthians. Corinthians lost (is not a surprise) to Noroeste at Bauru but Ponte Preta got a draw at Santos.

We got 10th straight wins currently Verdão has the biggest invincibility in Brazil already are 14 undefeated games.

Even Barueri started better in the match still dreaming to be in the semi-finals. They kept possession ball in a 1st half. Palmeiras had few good moments.

At 8′ after a free-kick Léo Lima crossed the ball Henrique touched it and Diego Souza headed it requiring a great René’s save.

At 14′ Denílson made a good shot right over the crossbar.

At 21′ Márcio Careca (former Palmeiras’ player) shot and Marcos put it to corner-kick.

At 42′ after Denílson has made a nice play he crossed right in Diego Souza’s head but René didn’t allow the goal.

2nd Half Palmeiras woke up with Luxemburgo’s orientation

At 48′ Martinez crossed and Jorge Preá headed in left-hand of goal but René inspired by Gordon Banks didn’t let the ball in. But in corner-kick Diego Souza back-heeled the ball to Léo Lima who shot in right-hand of the goal.

But the match was damaged by the weak referee Guilherme de Lima. He marked 2 penalties one for each side, the 1st one at 49′ Fernando dived into the area and besides penalty-kick he gave a yellow card to Léo Lima but São Marcos saved the penalty-kick. The 2nd one Diego disputed the ball with Alex Mineiro, no foul, but to compensate the “referee” gave us a penalty-kick, himself scored it.

At 90′ in a dead-ball situation Élder Granja crossed and Diego Souza headed indefensibly scoring 3rd goal.

HIGHLIGHTS

GR BARUERI 0 vs. 3 SE PALMEIRAS
Barueri
Renê;
M Pimentel, Duílio, Diego n’ M Careca;
M Carrasco, R Ponte, Flávio (Guaru) n’ J César(R Santos);
T Humberto n’ A Balada (Fernando)
Coach: M Araújo

Palmeiras
Marcos;
E Granja, Gustavo, Henrique n’ Leandro;
Martinez, L Lima (Wendel), D Souza n’ Denílson (Lenny)
A Mineiro n’ J Preá (Makelele)
Coach: V. Luxemburgo

Venue: Barueri Arena
Referee: Guilherme de Lima
Attendance: unrevealed

Yeah! It’s right this sentence above. After 15 games playing unsteadily – win once, draw twice, loss once – Palmeiras with 4 wins straight and doesn’t defeat since Feb. 6th 0-3 Guaratinguetá.

Since 1997 Palmeiras doesn’t win the King Clash in State Championships last time was 1-0 goal scored by Viola.

São Paulo FC started well pressing Palmeiras. At 10′ São Paulo FC had a free-kick that Adriano Imperatore (Imperatrice for us) crossed the ball into the mixer Borges in illegal position disputed with São Marcos who socked it and Richarlyson (Bixarlyson for us) got the rebound shot it but the linesman already has rosen his arm.

At 38′ in a corner-kick Jorge Wágner crossed straight to the Adriano’s head and 0-1 for them.

At 44′ Kléber – who already played by São Paulo FC’s side – with a disillusioning dribble in Juninho shot like former players with category.

Now is our turn at 57′ in corner-kick Élder Granja crossed into the mixer Rogério Ceni pulled out of the goal and caught nothing Diego Souza headed it but it went above the wookwork.

At 70′ Adriano received pass in the right feinted Henrique and shot weakly São Marcos did his job.

At 76′ the game was balanced until Júnior – world champion 2002, several times champion inclusive by Palestra’s side – act like a young player has tackled Valdívia in penalty area. The referee unhesitating pointed in the direction of the penalty mark. Denílson with a lot of determination to revenge of old club scored it.

After 5 minutes another penalty-kick Juninho tackled Kléber and received red card. Now this time El Mago wanted put it in the back of the net and he did it.

At 85′ (i guess) Adriano shot and São Marcos made a great save remembering ‘99, ‘00, ‘01 and ‘02.

At 90 + 2′ Palmeiras scored the 3rd penalty goal Deigo Souza entered in the penalty area free and was tackled by Richarlyson in a dangerous way himself got the ball put it in penalty mark and scored it.

HIGHLIGHTS

SE PALMEIRAS 4 vs. 1 SÃO PAULO FC

Palmeiras
————–Marcos 6,5————-
E Granja 6–Gustavo 6,5–Henrique 6,5–Leandro 6,5
——–Wendel 5,5—–Léo Lima 7———
—Valdívia 8————Diego Souza 7—
——Kléber 7,5——–Alex Mieneiro 5,5—–
Coach: Vanderlei Luxemburgo 7

Subs.: Martinez 6,5(Wendel half-time), Denílson 6,5(Alex Mineiro 61′), Makelele 6(Kléber 83′)

São Paulo
——–Rogério Ceni 5,5———
Z Luís 5,5–A Dias 6–Juninho 0,5–Júnior 3
—–Hernanes 6—Richarlyson 4——
–Jorge Wagner 6—Carlos Alberto 4—
—Adriano 7,5——–Borges 6,5—–
Coach: Muricy Ramalho 5

Subs.: Joílson 4,5(C Alberto 54′), Aloísio 5,5(Júnior 77′)

(Notes according to Lance!, important sports newspaper)

I’m gonna ask you what do you think when your team is losing by 2-0 and your goalkeeper, capitain and hero is sent off the pitch ? My team will lose by 4, 5 or 6 goals.
No when you speak about Palmeiras.

Even we have a canticle:

Palmeiras é o time da virada / Palmeiras é o time do amor / ÊÊÊÊÊ

With guts and determination we changed the game after has started bad in game sufferred the goal – scored by Paulinho 16′ in a great play – and Marcos was sent off for kicking another player before the same player has kicked him and referee gave a penalty kick to Bragantino at 25′ that Nunes sent Diego Cavalieri the wrong way.

But our team got up and scored goals one at 36′ by Diego Souza then at 38′ César Gaúcho received a second yellow card for tackling Valdívia thereupon El Mago equalised the match. At 40′ Da Silva got a straight red card because he was the last man.

At 49′ Leandro put it in the back of the net with a clinical finish thenceforth we keep ball possession. Then the referee gave us a penalty kick (mistakenly) that Léo Lima lose it but at 77′ Valdívia received a pass feinted the goalkeeper passed to Denílson and with open goal put it in the back of the net and at injury time 90 + 1′ former Bétis’ attacker scored again.

BRAGANTINO 2 vs. 5 PALMEIRAS
Venue: Marcelo Stéfani stadium
Attendance: it wasn’t revealed
Referee: Paulo César de Oliveira

BRAGANTINO
…………………….Gléguer…………………………
D Silva………………Cris……………………..Hugo
Niander…C Gaúcho…Zéziel…A Gaspar…Paulinho
………….Nunes………………Malaquias…………
Coach: Marcelo Veiga

Subs.: Mário 45 + 1′ (Zéziel), Rubens 61′ (Nunes), Adriano 81′ (Malaquias)

PALMEIRAS
…………………….Marcos………………………..
E Granja……Gustavo…….Henrique…….Leandro
……………….Pierre……..Léo Lima………………
…Diego Souza…………………..Valdívia………..
…………Kléber…………….Alex Mineiro…………
Coach: Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Subs.: Diego Cavalieri 23′ (Alex Mineiro), Denílson 60′ (Kléber), Lenny 80′ (Valdívia)