CORINTHIANS RELEGATED!

By: Bruno Romani | December 2nd, 2007

It was thrilling. After 37 rounds, the Campeonato Brasileiro reached its last weekend of 2007. One round left. A day too short for so many emotions and accelerated hearts. The champion lifted the trophy a month ago. Emotions today were reserved for relegation as Corinthians, the second most popular club of Brazil, played its future.

Paraná had 41 points. Goiás 42. Corinthians 43. You do the math. Many alternatives were available.

Corinthians delayed its entrance in the pitch in Porto Alegre, home of Grêmio. Goiás did the same and forced visitors Internacional into a wait. The match between Paraná and Vasco in Rio was the only that started on time. And before the 10th minute, Paraná had a player sent off.

The matches in Porto Alegre and Goiânia started. With less than 90 seconds, Jonas from Grêmio opened the score board with a header. Corinthians was on the bottom 4.

Few minutes later, defender Orosco scored for Internacional. Goiás now was going to série B. In the meantime, Grêmio missed chances in Porto Alegre, hitting the crossbar of Felipe. Then, somebody told Grêmio that Cruzeiro was winning 2-0 against América and leaving Grêmio out of the last spot for the Copa Libertadores. Corinthians started to play better.

Goiás hit the post. Almost! Goiás tied the game through Elson. But Corinthians stayed in the relegation zone only for a few seconds. Even before the goal was announced in Porto Alegre, Corinthians tied through Clodoaldo. Goiás was still on the bottom 4. In Rio, Vasco scored the first.

Goiás just wanted the first half to end. Corinthians too.

The second-half of both games started and from Rio came the news that Vasco scored the second. The battle now involved only Goiás and Corinthians. The match in Porto Alegre had Corinthians less nervous and Grêmio little effective. Then the news struck. Penalty for Goiás.

It seemed that even the match in Porto Alegre stopped to watch Paulo Baier take it. He ran, fired it and Clemer defended. Smiles that quickly faded away as the referee ordered Baier to take it again because Clemer stepped ahead before the ball was shot. Baier, the man who had missed a penalty against Corinthians just weeks ago, had his third chance from the spot to send Corinthians to the relegation zone. He ran. Took it. Clemer again!

The referee, however, saw Clemer moving and ordered the penalty to be retaken. Elson stepped ahead, took the ball from Baier, and fired it the penalty. Goal!

After the goal that sent Corinthians to the bottom 4 again, its players felt the psychological punch. No chances were created and Grêmio missed a few more. Desperation grew on the faces and voices of every football fan in Brazil. One goal could save Corinthians and Goiás held as much as it could to the slim victory. Vasco scored the third.

In the final minutes, Corinthians had a fault to its favor and goalie Felipe went to try a header. Grêmio recovered the ball and had the counterattack stopped by a fault committed by Corinthians. The man was ejected.

The match ended in Goiânia. The drama had its final moments in Porto Alegre. But Corinthians was lethargic. End of the match. Corinthians relegated for the first time.

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Libertadores
The ticket for the Libertadores stayed with Cruzeiro. Besides winning against América, the blue team was helped by its main rival, Atlético-MG, whose victory 3-1 in São Paulo against Palmeiras killed the chances of Palmeiras moving to the continental competition. Palmeiras needed just a simple victory and failed. Still on the pitch, Edmundo announced he is leaving the club. Cruzeiro will be along with São Paulo (Champion), Santos (2nd), Flamengo (3rd) and Fluminense (Copa do Brasil Champion) in next year’s Libertadores.