Palmeiras beat São Paulo 3-1 on Saturday night (24) and deepened the crisis at the rival club. The match was played in Barueri, and the green and white club were in charge.
The goals for Abel Ferreira’s team came from Maurício, Flaco López and Khellven; Bobadilla did the one for São Paulo.
The result takes Palmeiras to 12 points and places them in the lead of the Campeonato Paulista, at least provisionally — they could be overtaken by Bragantino, who, with 10 points, faces Santos this Sunday (25).
The victory was also a positive response after the 4-0 defeat to Novorizontino last Wednesday (21).
For the rival things are going wrong. The team only won one of its five matches played at Paulista and, with 4 points, is the first team outside the relegation zone. The only reason they’re not in the relegation zone is because they have a victory and Noroeste, with the same four points, haven’t won yet.
In the last round, they lost to Portuguesa, at Morumbi, 3-2.
São Paulo also faces turbulence off the field. Former president Julio Casares resigned from his position after the club’s board approved impeachment proceedings against him on the 16th of this month.
The fall is a consequence of the meltdown of its political capital, caused by a series of scandals that shook the management. Vice-president Harry Massis Junior, 80, took office on an interim basis.
This Saturday, São Paulo started the match even better, staying a lot in the attacking field. Early on, Luciano almost scored with a header.
After eight minutes, however, Palmeiras recovered the ball in the attacking field and Maurício shot from the edge of the area to open the score.
Five minutes later, Bobadilla equalized. The Paraguayan took advantage of Arboleda’s header after a corner kick and sent it into goal.
São Paulo had a clear chance to turn the game around, but Tapia wasted it after a cross from the left.
Palmeiras returned to the lead on the scoreboard at 32, when Sosa gave a beautiful assist for Flaco López, with a cavadinha, to beat Rafael.
Shortly after the break, six minutes into the second half, Piquerez crossed from the left, Flaco headed the ball, and Khellven, also heading the ball, gave the final score to the match.
From then on, the game had fewer clear chances for both sides, although Vitor Roque almost scored the fourth for Palmeiras, with a shot that stopped the post.
São Paulo threatened pressure at the end of the match and almost scored with Calleri, with a header, in stoppage time, but did not have the strength to change the score.
