With several players still out of combat due to the covid outburst affecting the squad, Abel Ferreira lined-up a very alternative squad with the remaining pieces he could count on. As if the situation was not bad enough, Luiz Adriano had to be substituted in the 25th minute after a thigh discomfort and, ten minutes later, Mayke was sent to the showers earlier after a violent dispute for the ball.
The opponent, Goiás, is at the bottom of the tables and Palmeiras managed to play the entire second half without even remotely risking the point won through the goalless draw. In the last minute, the defining moments: Patrick de Paula had a golden opportunity to score the winner, but made the wrong call, allowing the defender to recover the ball. Shortly thereafter, Miguel Figueira fired a rare missile into the top corner of Weverton’s goal, securing Goiás first victory after eleven games.
Line-up
Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Emerson Santos, Gustavo Gómez, Renan and Mayke; Patrick de Paula, Ramires and Lucas Lima (Lucas Esteves); Luiz Adriano (Fabrício) (Luan) and Marcelinho (Gabriel Menino).
Gabriel Menino and Renan received yellow cards. Mayke was sent off in the 39th minute.
Green Light
It was obvious since the return of football that situations like the one Palmeiras are going through would happen. It has happened with Goiás, Flamengo, Vasco, Atlético and many other teams. The safety measures are flawed and the virus takes advantage of our inability to deal with this pandemic to infect and kill more people. The green light is for Palmeiras’ attitude of respecting the rules previously agreed and, unlike a team that wears red and black shirts.
Yellow Light
Palmeiras remained steady after all the setbacks and the dedication of our players must be praised, but a little more determination in the two opportunites with Ramires and Patrick de Paula would had put us ahead in the scorecard when the game was still 0-0.
Red Light
Mayke lack of attention brought more trouble to an already very difficult match. The ball was behind the midfield and there was no need for an aggressive attempt to recover the ball.
Next Challenge
Still without most of the regular starters, Palmeiras travel to Paraguay to face Delfín for the first leg of the round-of-16 of the Libertadores Cup. Gabriel Menino was the first to return among the infected players. More players are expect to be able to play in the next days, some of them already for the game against Delfín, on Wednesday 25th.
Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
– – – ooo – – –
by Augusto Anteghini Oazi
*Here at Anything Palmeiras, we love football. We love Palmeiras. We are always keen to see Palmeiras play, and keen to write about it for you. But we’re against the return of football in a country that still hasn’t controlled the coronavirus pandemic. We express our deepest sympathy to the families whose loved ones have been taken by the disease.
ANYTHING PALMEIRAS 