Anything Palmeiras

Not since 1999 have Palmeiras and Corinthians decided a championship final. This one kicked off well: Roger Machado’s strategy worked perfectly, neutralizing Corinthians’ gameplay, seeing Palmeiras one step ahead of their rival to bag the 2018 São Paulo state Championship.

Coach Machado was able to field his starting eleven of choice, as Borja and Marcos Rocha were again available. And already in the 6th minute, the Colombian showed why he is the top scorer of the championship. Dudu took a short corner to Lucas Lima who immediately returned it, Dudu crossing it into the area. Dudu’s ball surprised Cássio, hitting the crossbar, before bouncing back to Willian, who found Borja well positioned to effortlessly push the ball into the back of the net. Palmeiras 1-0!

Corinthians, inflamed by their supporters, went for the equaliser. In the 9th minute, Emerson received the ball and got passed Thiago Martins, but his shot was saved by Jailson. Palmeiras responded with Dudu passing the ball to Willian behind the defenders, but Cássio sprinted out to save the home team.

Corinthians enjoyed superior ball possession, but created little. In the 20^th minute, Jailson made an easy save as Clayson tried his luck. Two minutes later, a more dangerous opportunity: Sidcley crossed the ball but Maycon shot was off-target. The game was tense and no other clear opportunity was created during the first half. But just before the whistle, a common scene in any derby: confusion. Borja and Henrique fought over a ball on the deep end. The referee awarded the throw-in to Palmeiras, but Corinthians’ players kept complaining. Soon, all players were found in the centre of the argument and a few slaps and kicks were exchanged. The referee, not knowing what to do, in the end opted for showing one yellow card and one red card to each of the teams. Borja and Henrique received the yellow, and Felipe Melo and Clayson were sent earlier to the showers.

Roger chose to rearrange the midfield, starting the second half without Borja, promoting Moisés. Despite both teams playing with ten men, there was not much extra space to create opportunities. Roger had to burn his second substitution when Victor Luiz felt a muscular discomfort, sending in Diogo Barbosa to make his debut as a Palmeiras player.

Corinthians tried to pressure left-back Barbosa, naturally out of rhythm due to a rather lengthy recovery from injury, but to little success. In the 20th minute, Keno was ready to come on for Dudu, but an exhausted Bruno Henrique requested substitution and was attended: in his place, Roger sent Thiago Santos to close the spaces on the midfield.

Willian had a golden opportunity to score in the 31st minute, but could not conclude Dudu’s crossed ball. Also Corinthians insisted on crossing balls, but Thiago Martins and Antonio Carlos were in the best of shapes, denying the black and white forwards any opportunities.

In the 43rd minute, Corinthians supporters lightened up their flares and the referee had to stop the game, as the Brazilian regulation determines. When the game reinitiated, he added six more minutes to injury time. In the 50th minute, Thiago Santos stole the ball from Rodriguinho, near Corinthians’ goal, but failed to get the ball to Dudu, clear on his right side. The home team also had a chance in the last minute, but Jailson had no problem with Balbuena’s header and the referee finally blew the whistle to end the game.
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As in the semifinals, Palmeiras play the second leg at home, at the Allianz Parque, and with the advantage of a draw. 24.000 tickets have already been sold to the return game this upcoming Sunday. However, the entire attention of Roger Machado and his players are now turned toward Tuesday’s Libertadores Cup game against Alianza Lima. It will be a tough week for palmeirenses around the globe.

Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!

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by Augusto Anteghini Oazi

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Seems like Palmeiras have a deal with their supporters: when things look easy on paper, we are going to make things difficult so that you can suffer a bit and have your hearts tested. In a rainy game at a Pacaembu Stadium, packed with 34.739 palmeirenses, Santos managed to reverse Palmeiras advantage, only to be defeated in the penalty shootout.

Roger Machado was unable to repeat the lineup of the first leg of the semifinals due to Marcos Rocha not recovering in time. Tchê Tchê was selected as his replacement. Game underway, Palmeiras exercised control for the first 10 minutes, but no clear opportunity to score materialised.
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Palmeirenses were not disheartened by the rain (photo credits: Augusto Oazi)

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Santos, playing with four forwards, were seeking space behind Palmeiras defensive line through long balls. In the 13th minute, payoff: Daniel Guedes advanced behind Victor Luiz and crossed the ball to Sasha, clean to head it into Jailson’s goal.

Santos’ lead did not last much: three minutes later, Bruno Henrique levelled the score for Palmeiras through a powerful shot fired low from outside the box, finding Vanderlei’s left corner.

After the two goals, the game cooled down, with Palmeiras trying to create opportunities passing the ball around and Santos counter-attacking through fast transitions. With Palmeiras once again in control of the game, the surprise: in the 39th minute, Rodrygo received the ball and tried to dribble Antonio Carlos. After some pinball action in the box, the ball finally deflected off Sasha to again present itself to Rodrygo, who just pushed it into the back of the net. Santos 2-1.

Palmeiras had two opportunities on free kicks to level the score before the end of the first half, but both shots, from Bruno Henrique and Victor Luiz, were saved by Vanderlei. In the last minute, Antonio Carlos almost converted after a corner kick, but that was it.

Back after the interval, the teams unaltered. Palmeiras had a good opportunity in the 2nd minute, Tchê Tchê crossed the ball, but Willian headed it wide. Our player did not seem to be in the best of shapes and could not find the way to actually threaten Vanderlei, Santos positioned deep in defence, awaiting another fluky opportunity to score the third. Coach Machado tried to fix the problem sending Guerra to replace Lucas Lima, but to no effect.

Santos had a good opportunity in the 28th minute after a corner kick, but Tchê Tchê put away the ball that would find Gabriel clear to score. Palmeiras, now with Moisés and Deyverson on the pitch, having replaced Bruno Henrique and Willian respectively, were still not finding ways to trespass Santos defensive line. The best opportunity was Keno’s, a left-footed shot off target.

In the 42nd minute, Keno was to receive the ball clear inside the box to score, but Dodo put it away at the last moment. Santos had their golden opportunity on injury time when Jean Mota took a first-time shot that would have been a beautiful goal had it not gone slightly above target.

With 2-1 on the scorecard at full time, a penalty shootout. With technique and nerves under control, Palmeiras masterfully converted all five through Dudu, Tchê Tchê, Victor Luiz, Moisés and Guerra. Our Black Panther between the posts, Jailson, saved Santos’ third penalty to classify Palmeiras to the São Paulo state Championship finals.
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Palmeiras now await for the opponent to be defined. If Corinthians go through, we will have a final not seen since 1999. If São Paulo come out victorious, even longer the interval: 1992. In any case, not since 2003 has a final been played between two teams from the city of São Paulo. Come what may, Palmeiras are ready to face and win this final; it has been nine years since the last title, in 2008.

Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!

– – – ooo – – –  
by Augusto Anteghini Oazi

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Ahead of the first leg of the Paulista semifinals, two undefeated streaks at the Pacaembu stadium: Palmeiras in their last 8 games and Santos since 2013 (25 games undefeated as home team). To the joy of the palmeirenses, only the green and white streak remains, now increased to 9 games in a row without losing at the historic stadium.

Palmeiras’ starting eleven was the same as against Novorizontino, but for goalkeeper Fernando Prass, replaced by Jailson, back from suspension. In spite of the stadium being filled with only Santos supporters, our players were not intimidated and started the game better.

In the 11th minute, Palmeiras pressure had already proven effective, the opening of the scorecard the result of a nice, collective move: Keno on the left passing the ball to Bruno Henrique in center position, opening wide to Dudu on the right wing, who returned the ball towards the centre where Willian closed in, pusingh it to the back of the net.

Palmeiras remained with the upper hand, creating two more opportunities: in the 19th minute, Dudu shot wide and in the 23th minute, Vanderlei made a difficult save following Willian’s shot. Jailson, meanwhile, was only a spectator of the game, Santos unable to find the way to threaten Palmeiras’ goalkeeper.

However, in the last minutes on the first half, Jailson had to shine brightly, twice. In the first one, Thiago Martins lost the ball to Gabriel, but Jailson blocked the point-blank shot, resulting in a corner. Renato headed the corner and Jailson performed another miracle, denying the equalizer.
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In the second half, Palmeiras again got off to a better start. In the 2nd minute, Victor Luiz fired away from the left, but Vanderlei was on his toes. A minute later, Keno missed the target after dribbling Santos’ left back. In the 5th minute, not so good news for the green and white: right-back Marcos Rocha gave way Tchê Tchê due to muscular fatigue.

Santos improved their game and created a number of opportunities, the first in the 6th minute, Jailson intercepting the crossed ball and Gabriel missing the target on the rebound. In the 19th minute, mess inside Palmeiras’ box, but Santos did not take advantage of the situation.

In the 21st minute, another beautiful save from Jailson after Rodrygo fired away from afar. Feeling Santos’ momentum, Roger Machado replaced both defensive midfielders to retake control of the match: Moisés and Thiago Santos came on for Bruno Henrique and Felipe Melo.

However, Santos did not stop pushing for the equalizer. In the 30th minute, Gabriel fired from outside the box, Jailson once more saving Palmeiras. Seven minutes later, Santos blew their last clear opportunity to score: Gabriel crossed the ball and found Vitor Bueno completely clean by the penalty spot, but Jailson saved the header.

The game ended 1-0 and the Verdão computed their 5th straight clean sheet; a record not achieved in the last 10 years. Upcoming Tuesday, should Palmeiras increase this sequence, they will be classified to the final, as a draw favours the green side. Roger Machado awaits the recovery of Marcos Rocha and Victor Luiz, who also left the game in discomfort, to repeat the same line-up on Tuesday, at the same Pacaembu stadium, only this time, with nothing but palmeirenses in the stands.

On the other side of the tables, São Paulo 1-0 Corinthians, the second leg scheduled for Wednesday night. 

Scoppia che la vittoria è nostra!

– – – ooo – – – 
by Augusto Anteghini Oazi

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