Monday 22 March 2010

Campeonato Paulista A1 - Week 15

Monte Azul 0-4 Portuguesa
Rio Claro 3-0 Rio Branco
Palmeiras 0-2 Ponte Preta
Sertãozinho 2-1 Mirassol
Santo André 4-1 Bragantino
São Caetano 2-2 Oeste
Prudente 2-0 Corinthians
São Paulo 3-0 Mogi Mirim
Santos 9-1 Ituano
Paulista 1-0 Botafogo SP

The race for "The Four" hots up in the Paulista as the relegation battle also takes a few twists and turns during round 15. Portuguesa opened the round with a comfortable victory at Monte Azul. Portuguesa were ahead as early as the 4th minute when Luiz Carlos converted from the spot. Heverton double the lead, again from the spot, on the hour and they wrapped things up with late goals from Rafael Silva and Jean Natal. Rio Branco fell to the bottom of the table after a crushing 3-0 defeat at Rio Claro. Palmeiras just go from bad to worse after yet another home defeat, this time to Ponte Preta. Diego opened the scoring with 13 minutes to go and as the Big Green chased the game Finazzi finished them off seven minutes from time.

Sertãozinho picked up only their second win of the season after success against Mirassol to climb off the bottom of the table. Pablo put Sertãozinho ahead after 9 minutes but Diogo Orlando levelled two minutes into the second half. With twenty minutes to go Thiago Silvy grabbed what could be a valuable winner for Sertãozinho come the end of the season. Santo André bounced back from defeat last time out to brush aside Bragantino. They were two up inside the opening eight minutes thanks to Rodriguinho and Bruno Cesar. A second from Rodriguinho after 33 minutes put Santo André into cruise mode and they wrapped things up with a fourth from Wendell three minutes from time before Bragantino grabbed a consolation in injury time. Oeste edged themselved away from the relegation zone after picking a point up at São Caetano. Mazinho put Oeste ahead after four minutes but São Caetano were level seven minutes later through Hugo. Oeste went ahead again from the spot after half an hour when Ricardo Bueno converted but Wanderley levelled with eight minutes to go to salvage a point for São Caetano.

Corinthians midweek trip to Paraguay seemed to have affected them as they fell to defeat at Prudente. Róbson put Prudente ahead just beyond the hour and as Corinthians searched for an equaliser he put the game safe four minutes into injury time. São Paulo comfortably disposed of Mogi Mirim. Rogério Ceni put São Paulo ahead from the spot after thirteen minutes and Cléber Santana doubled the lead five minutes before half time. Hernanes wrapped things up for São Paulo with a second half injury time strike. Botafogo SP's quest for "The Four" took a huge dent when they went down to relegation threatened Paulista. The only goal of the game came on the half hour from Felipe Azevedo to give Paulista their third win of the season and keep Botafogo SP in fifth.

Santos emphatically bounced back from defeat last week to put the cleaners through Ituano. Already smarting from the defeat last week Ituano stuck the knife in when João Leonardo put them ahead in the first minute. Ituano though, were 4-1 down by half time after André Felipe levelled, the go ahead goal from Paulo Henrique and further a goal from André Felipe and Madson. A second from Madson set Santos away in the second half and Paulo Henrique then got his second of the game. Zé Eduardo joined the party five minutes from time and André Felipe completed a hat trick with a penalty in injury time.

Full midweek round as they race for "The Four" and the fight against relegation continues.

Corinthians x Paulista
Rio Branco x Palmeiras
Mirassol x Portuguesa
Ponte Preta x Rio Branco
Ituano x São Caetano
Bragantino x São Paulo
Santo André x Monte Azul
Prudente x Mogi Mirim
Botafogo SP x Santos
Oeste x Sertãozinho

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