The Atletico Mineiro, League leader in Brazil, tied at 2-2 in his visit this Tuesday to the palm trees in match of the thirty-fifth day of the Brazilian Championship but maintains its wide advantage of 8 points over the Flamengo, his pursuer in the rankings and the only one with a chance of snatching the title from him.
The Belo Horizonte team benefited from the draw that Flamengo gave up this Tuesday, also by 2-2, during their visit to the Gremio, one of the last in the standings, and which allows them to confirm themselves as the top favorite for the title with four games to go for the only two rivals with a chance to be crowned champions.
The team led by coach Alexi Stival ‘Cuca’ reached 75 points in 34 games and has an advantage of 8 units over Flamengo (second with 67), so it can be crowned champion early the next day in case it gets one victory over Fluminense on Sunday and the Rio de Janeiro club suffering a loss or draw against Ceará on Tuesday.
To keep their dream of winning the Brazilian Championship for the third year in a row, Flamengo has to win at least three of their remaining four games and hope that Mineiro loses theirs.
Palmeiras, despite giving up a draw at home against the leader with a team in which several starters were reserved, regained third place in the standings, with 59 points, 16 points behind the leader and no longer able to reach it.
The two games on Tuesday were the last for Palmeiras and Flamengo before they met next Saturday in Montevideo for the Copa Libertadores title. The final to a single match in the Uruguayan capital will measure the last two Libertadores champions since the green team of Sao Paulo is the current owner of the title and that of Rio de Janeiro was in 2019.
Leo Pereira (Flamengo) and Bruno Cortez (Gremio), in a match of the match
Despite the fact that the Palmeiras coach, the Portuguese Abel Ferreira, sent several reserves to the field for the match with the League leader, the Sao Paulo team had an advantage on two occasions and almost surprised Mineiro, whom he forced him to postpone his desire to be crowned champion in advance.
Wesley and Deyverson scored for Palmeiras but Patrick de Paula wasted a penalty that would have guaranteed victory for the Paulistas.
Mineiro tied in the first half with a goal from Argentine midfielder Matías Zaracho and guaranteed the tie in the second half thanks to a score from the veteran Hulk, who further isolated himself in first place on the league’s top scorers list, with 15 so many.
The Gremio, the second to last in the standings and struggling to get out of the last four places, which are punished with relegation, achieved a heroic comeback at home against the powerful Flamengo after starting losing 0-2 and despite the expulsion of a player.
The Rio de Janeiro club led by coach Renato Gaúcho scored two goals thanks to the skill of youth Vitinho, but the Gremio equalized in the last fifteen minutes of the second half with goals from Colombian Miguel Borja and Feirrerinha.
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