Sao Paulo, Aug 29: Palmeiras rallied to defeat leader Corinthians 2-1 in the Brazilian league on Sunday, a match marked by fan violence that left two men shot.
The weekend round also was marked by a stroke suffered by Vasco da Gama coach Ricardo Gomes in his team's 0-0 draw with Ronaldinho's Flamengo. Gomes was in serious condition in an intensive care unit and was not breathing fully on his own.
Sao Paulo drew 1-1 with Santos despite playing a man down for most of the match in Santos, after midfielder Carlinhos Paraiba received his second yellow card in the 27th minute. Young Sao Paulo playmaker Lucas and talented Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso each scored.
Argentine midfielder Walter Montillo scored twice to give Cruzeiro a 2-1 win over rival Atletico Mineiro in Sete Lagoas.
Corinthians, which hadn't lost to rival Palmeiras in six matches, has 38 points at the league's halfway point, one point more than Flamengo and two ahead of Sao Paulo and Vasco. Botafogo remained fifth after defeating defending champion Fluminense 2-1 at the Engenhao stadium on Saturday.
Eight-time Brazilian champion Palmeiras stayed close in sixth place, five points behind Corinthians, following a victory at the Prudentao stadium in President Prudente.
Before the match, two Palmeiras fans were shot and one of them remains in hospital in serious condition after being hit in the waist. The other was recovering after being hit in the leg.
Police officer Thiago Cesar told the SporTV channel it remained unclear who fired the shots, which came after supporters from both teams got into a confrontation just outside the Prudentao stadium. Officers had to fire rubber bullets to keep the situation from escalating.
On the field, Corinthians opened the scoring with striker Emerson in the 18th minute, but midfielder Luan equalized for Palmeiras in the 34th and substitute striker Fernandao—making his debut with Palmeiras—scored the winner in the 52nd.
It was the first win in five Brazilian league matches for Palmeiras, which had World-Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari watching from the stands because of a two-match suspension.
At the Engenhao, Flamengo missed a chance to get closer to Corinthians after the scoreless draw against Vasco. With Ronaldinho playing from the start, Flamengo played with a man advantage from the 41st after defender Welinton was sent off after receiving a straight red card.
Flamengo hasn't won in three matches.
Brazil midfielder Lucas opened the scoring with a remarkable run from near midfield in first-half injury time. He got past two defenders, the last by sending the ball one way and going around the other, before firing a low shot that found the far corner. Ganso equalized in the 86th with a hard shot from the top of the area, finding the left-upper corner.
Montillo scored in the 12th and 88th minutes to give Cruzeiro the 2-1 victory over rival Atletico Mineiro, which hasn't won in nine matches and is second-to-last in the 20-team standings with only 15 points.
Recopa Sudamericana champion Internacional lost 2-1 to city rival Gremio at the Olimpico stadium in Porto Alegre.
Also Saturday, Coritiba drew 1-1 with city rival Atletico Paranaense in Curitiba, while Atletico Goianiense beat last-place America 2-1 in Sete Lagoas. AP
