Campeonato Carioca - Taça Rio Semi Finals

Botafogo 3-2 Fluminense
Flamengo 2-1 Vasco da Gama

Botafogo remain on course to complete "The Double" in the Campeonato Carioca after qualifying for the final of the Taça Rio with a come from behind victory over Fluminense. It started well for "O Fogão" when El Loco Sebastian Abreu headed them ahead after only four minutes. Fluminense fought back, but Fred the missed a penalty after a handball in the area his header on 27 minutes found the back of the net. and a second from the former Olympique de Lyonnias player with a smart turn and finish five minutes put Fluminense ahead, a lead they would take into the break. Botafogo levelled the game on the hour after a scramble in the area through Fahel and ten minutes later they took the lead when youngster Ciao, hero of the Guanabara campaign, put Botafogo into a lead with a shot from the edge of the area to give them a lead Fogo held onto.

Flamengo will be the opponents for Botafogo after defeating Vasco da Gama in the other semi final. Vagner Love raced through to put Flamengo ahead with only 10 minutes on the clock but Vasco levelled on the half hour through a powerful Thiago Martinelli header. Vasco then hit the post 9 minutes into the seocnd half before Vagner Love restored the lead of Flamengo from the penalty spot 19 minutes from time after Leo Moura was fouled. Flamengo then had Juan sent off 12 minutes from time for a second bookable offence. The afternoon also finished on a sour note for Vasco when Thiago Martinelli saw red in injury time.

The final takes place this weekend.

In the semi finals of the Trofee João Ellis Filho, América continued their recent good run of from with a 3-1 win over Boavista. They will face Macaé in next weekends final after they defeated Bangu by a goal to nil. Norton with the vital goal three minutes into the second half. And in the first game of the relegation tri-series play off Duque de Caxias got themselves off to a great start with a 2-1 victory over Resende. Friburguense are the third team involved and they start their campaign at Resende on Wednesday.