After the storm comes the rainbow. Having faced the current champions in the first round, Palmeiras’ opponent in the second round were also crowned champions last season, but of the second division. Thus, in theory, an easier nut to crack; Chapecoense lost 3-0 at home in the first round, so Abel Ferreira opted for a more offensive line-up to face the weaker rival.
The plentifulness of attackers in our starting-eleven was effective and Palmeiras created many opportunities to score. The three goals came in the first half. Wesley, in the 7th minute, and Luiz Adriano, in the 15th minute, seized errors from Chape’s defenders to push the ball to the back of the net. With the game practically defined, the first half also gave us an astonishing goal from Wesley in the 42nd minute, classically placing the ball on the bottom right corner of the keeper after leaving two defenders on the ground.
As in the previous two Brasileirão games where Palmeiras under coach Ferreira scored three goals in the first half, the team slowed the rhythm in the second half and didn’t increase the goal difference. This time however, unlike both previous match that ended 3-0, Palmeiras conceded a goal in the 55th minute, a direct free kick that Jailson should have saved.
Line-up
Jailson; Mayke, Luan, Renan and Victor Luís; Patrick de Paula (Zé Rafael), Scarpa (Felipe Melo) and Raphael Veiga; Wesley (Lucas Esteves), Rony and Luiz Adriano (Willian).
Raphael Veiga and Wesley received yellow cards.
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Green Light
Despite the obligation of winning matches against relegation candidates, Palmeiras showed the squad is strong enough to secure important victories in the battle for the title even without several players, who are either serving the national teams or recovering from injuries.
Yellow Light
Chapecoense had a golden opportunity to open the scorecard in the first few minutes of the game and hadn’t Jailson made the save, our night would have turned out less calm.
Red Light
The VAR continues to be badly operated in Brazil. A five minutes delay to validate or invalidate a goal is precisely the thing that makers supporters doubt the final decision and abandon the game to do something more interesting.
Next Challenge
Palmeiras return the attention to the Brazil Cup, the return leg against CRB happening on Wednesday 9th. Palmeiras has a one-goal advantage from the first leg and a draw is enough to progress to the round-of-16. Even with the possibility of playing with an alternative team, we shouldn’t have to go through many emotions to secure a spot in the next stage of the tournament.
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 