 |
|
Brasileirão Match Report Week 25: Santos 0 Flamengo 0 [Tue Sep 13th, 2005]
Almost 12,000 spectators left the Vila Belmiro wondering where Santos (4th – 44 points) had left the quality play that saw them regain the Brasileirão leadership in spite of Robinho’s transfer to Madrid. The only fans to walk away mildly satisfied would be Urubu followers relieved not to see Flamengo thrashed.
With the disappointing result the Peixe fall from grace and into fourth place, whereas Flamengo (18th – 24) harvest their ninth draw and still lounge around in relegation positions. The visitors came on with a clear catenaccio that Santos were unable to unravel.
Giovanni was the only Peixe player able to pick away at the defensive mesh, unlocking the Mengão defence in the 10th minute and seeing new number 7 GeÃlson hit the post. Thirteen minutes later bad luck struck as Giovanni was forced to abandon the field with a strained hamstring.
His substitute, Léo Lima, erred where the veteran had succeeded; bad passes and poor positioning disrupting the Santos forward moves and sowing seeds of doubt in the rest of the team. With both wing-backs – Paulo César and Kléber – marked back into their own half, the locals were gridlocked.
The second half saw coach Gallo put ex-Cruzeiro midfielder Wendel on for clumsy Gavião. The move didn’t move Santos’ luck, and Flamengo came close to going ahead through Fernando’s header and Fellype Gabriel dribble round LuÃs Alberto (ex-Real Sociedad & Flamengo) and shot.
Even when Santos came close, young Mengão keeper Diego stopped all comers with hands, feet, legs, elbows, head, face and (ouch) groin. The only time the goalie failed was when BasÃlio uncharacteristically headed wide in front of an open goal.
Venue: Vila Belmiro Stadium, Santos (SP)
Gate: R$ 137,606
Spectators: 11,375
Referee: Lourival Dias Lima Filho (BA)
Linesmen: Alessandro Rocha (FIFA-BA) and Belmiro da Silva (BA)
Yellow Cards: Ricardinho, Wendel, Élton e Ãvalos (Santos); Renato Silva, Fernando, Souza (Geninho), Obina, Léo e Jônatas (Flamengo)
Red Card: Kléber (Santos)
SANTOS: Saulo; Paulo César, Ãvalos, LuÃs Alberto and Kléber; Gavião (Wendel), Élton, Giovanni (Léo Lima) and Ricardinho; Diego (BasÃlio) and GeÃlson
Coach: Gallo.
FLAMENGO: Diego, Léo Cruz, Fernando, Renato Silva and André; Augusto Recife, Jônatas (Robson), Renato and Souza (Geninho); Fellype Gabriel and Obina (Fabiano Oliveira)
Coach: Andrade
Aaron Marcus
News headlines from around the world.