After the terrible game against River Plate, there was concern players would feel the pressure and remain in the negative momentum. Palmeiras’ performance in the first half was enough to chase away any such fears: players were hungry and alert, creating plenty of opportunities and hitting the woodwork three times before Raphael Veiga open the scorecard in the 33rd minute. Grêmio were fully dominated for the initial 45 minutes.
The gauchos improved slightly in the second half, but the best opportunities continued to be tainted green. Opportunities not converted into goals, and, as often happens, punishment arrives. With the game coming to an end, Grêmio pulled out three great opportunities in a span of five minutes, Weverton operating two miracles but unable to avoid the equalizer signed Diego Souza in the 88th minute. The draw left Palmeiras with 48 points, finishing the round in sixth position.
Line-up
Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Mayke), Luan, Alan Empereur (Kuscevic) and Viña; Émerson Santos, Zé Rafael and Raphael Veiga (Lucas Lima); Breno Lopes, Rony (Luiz Adriano) and Willian (Scarpa).
Breno Lopes, Marcos Rocha and Lucas Lima received yellow cards.
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Green Light
Palmeiras responded well after the extenuating game against River Plate for the Libertadores Cup. The first half was a nearly perfect display and had target lock worked a little better, Grêmio would have been thrashed already in the first forty five minutes.
Yellow Light
Despite the abundance of opportunities to score, Palmeiras scored but once, allowing Grêmio to push for the equalizer until the dying minutes, finding it in the 88th minute.
Red Light
In the quest for the Brazil League title, Palmeiras had no margin for a home draw. The game against Grêmio was the first in a hard sequence of three (followed by Corinthians then Flamengo) and letting the victory escape in the dying minutes was a punishment that considerably reduces the chances for another title.
Next Challenge
The calendar doesn’t allow Palmeiras time to mourn the missed chance of getting closer to the leaders. On Monday the 18th, the team receives Corinthians at the Allianz Parque for the postponed game of the 28th round. The opponent, eliminated early from the Brazil Cup and the Libertadores Cup, is fully rested and recently trashed Fluminense 5-0. In the opposite side of the spectrum, Abel will have to liaise with the medical department to scout players able to play another exhausting game.
Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!
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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 