Campeonato Carioca - Taça Rio Semi Finals

Taça Rio Semi Finals

Vasco da Gama 1-0 Olaria
Fluminense 1-1 Flamengo
Flamengo advances 5-4 in penalty competition

The Saturday semi final was a repeat of the week 8 encounter which finished 2-2 and put Olaria into the semi finals. There was for the minnows to be no Boavista type fairytale as a single goal from Éder Luís seven minutes before the break put Vasco da Gama into their first Taça Rio final since they were victorious in 2004.

They will now face a Flamengo side one game away from the State Title after an action packed Sunday semi final against Fluminense at the Engenhão. The match was stopped for several minutes in the first half because of a power outage near to the stadium. Rafael Moura headed Fluminense ahead with twenty-two minutes gone but Flamengo levelled when Thiago Neves headed home a long cross from Willians half way through the second half.

With the game level at 90 minutes it headed straight to a penalty competition and goalkeeper Felipe was the Flamengo hero. He saved from Araújo and Tartá but Renato Abreu and Thiago Neves also failed for Flamengo to take the shoot out into sudden death. Fluminense then went behind when Souza put his penalty against the woodwork and Diego Mauricio stepped up to win it for Flamengo and put them into the final.

Trofeu Carlos Alberto Torres

Americano 1-2 Madureira
Botafogo 2-5 Boavista

Maduerira and Boavista will contest the final of the Trofeu Carlos Alberto next weekend after victories over Americano and Botafogo respectively. Madureira fell behind to a Carlos Alberto penalty after six minutes but Valdir levelled four minutes from time and Jones won it at the death. Botafogo fielded a reserve team in their game against Boavista and still managed to throw a two goal lead away. Jairo and Vitinho had the Alvinegro two up inside twenty minutes but Frontini pulled a goal back three minutes after the break. It was all one way traffic in the second half, Santiago levelled thirteen minutes after the break and Max put them ahead six minutes later. Tony put the result beyond doubt seven minutes from time and a second for Frontini put the icing on the cake two minutes from time.

Next week the Campeonato Carioca could come to a conclusion with a Flamengo victory in the final of the Taça Rio.

Vasco da Gama x Flamengo

Trofeu Carlos Alberto Torres Final

Boavista x Madureira