[Ze da Fiel]

Today the Paulista finals start.
First game Santos x Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo will be tryong to win the title they don't get it since 98, and Santos will try to win a major trophy since 84. SInce Pele left Santos they only managed to win 3 Paulista trophies. Normally I would go for Santos, but as they are 16 years without winning nothing....I think the Brazilian army would be more than satisfied to see them "enroll" in the corporation..and stay a couple more years without winning nothing.. ALthough the perfect result would be if both teams could lose the game.

Tomorrow, their will be a war in Maracana. HOpefullly another great game between Flamengo x Vasco, the 2 games this season were simply BRILLIANT..and tomorrow their will be everything on the field of this great rivalry.
ROmario is supposed to be back from injury, and will like to score agaisnt his old team. I hope FLamengo wins it , although I got a bet on VAsco for a case of Beer, but as I will drink the beer even if i lose, i hope Flamengo wins it..
But really I don't care, cause after the game tuesday, I've lost a lot of excitment on football......i'm still a bit shocked for losing that way. BUt no problem the end of the year we will win the Brazilian championship and og to the Libertadores again, to ghopefully win the only trophy we need to complete our trophy cabinet

 

[Alexx]

Santos & São Paulo ready for final
The first leg of the final of the Paulista Championship will be played today (10/06/00), and with both teams appearing to be evenly matched there is no way to predict who will be the eventual winner. Both teams have had managerial changes recently, both are in search of sponsorship deals, and both overturned the teams that were favoured to win the semi-finals - Santos beat Palmeiras and São Paulo beat Corinthians.

The key player for Santos is likely to be Freddy Rincón, the Colombian midfielder who seems to grow and assume more responsibility in important games. For São Paulo it must be França, current striker for the national squad who has already scored 17 goals in this year's Paulista Championship, making him the highest scorer.

There are two factors that unbalance the games; first, that São Paulo have a better record throughout the Championship, and will automatically win if both games are drawn, and second that they will be playing in the Morumbi, São Paulo's home stadium. But these factors are unlikely to detract from what should be a pair of thrilling games between equals.

TEAMS (not yet confirmed):
Santos: Carlos Germano; Baiano, AndréLuis, Claudiomiro, Rubens Cardoso; Anderson, Rincón, Valdo, Robert; Caio, Giba.
São Paulo: Rogério; Belletti, Edmílson, Rógerio Pinheiro, Fábio Aurélio; Maldonaldo, Vágner, Raí, Marcelinho; Edu, França.




Gama case to be investigated
FIFA are to send a representative to Brazil to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Gama case - and the team could be severely punished if found to have broken the rules. According to FIFA Gama, who went outside of the proper footballing authorities and to common justice in order to remain in the Série A, showed an attitude of "rebellion against the authority of the CBF".

By FIFA's statutes, the team from Brasilia can be fined, disassociated from the CBF and banned from playing any friendly or international competition organised by FIFA. If the club is punished, sources at the CBF admit that they will abandon the idea of the Liga Nacional and return to organising the Brazilian Championship.




FIFA praise Brazilian modernisation plan
A seminar which displays plans for the modernisation of Brazilian football is touring the country this month, and has drawn praise from FIFA president Sepp Blatter for it's ideas to tackle the outdated and corrupt old ways existent in the country. According to Blatter, the initiative should serve as a model for the other 203 countries associated to FIFA.

The principal subject of the modernisation plan is to arrange a less hectic and congested calendar - currently, four different championships are disputed in the first half of the year alone, and Brazil's biggest clubs can often find themselves playing three games a week, as well as losing players to the national selection. Other themes include sporting legislation, financial and technological resources, and the importance of the media. One of the aims of the seminar is also to find a way to preserve smaller clubs, which are a fundamental step in the formation of some of the World's best players.


Atlético win Mineiro Championship again
Atlético are Champions of the Minas Gerais Championship for the second year in a row after a draw with Cruzeiro last night (08/06/00). Owing to their better run of results in the championship and a first leg win of 2 x 1, Atlético could even have lost last nights game by 0 x 1 and would still have been champions. But a goal from Ramón put them ahead, and it was not until the 39th minute of the second half that Cruzeiro managed the equaliser, Fábio Júnior giving them a consolation goal.

 

[Alexx]

With a 2 x 1 winner against Santos, São Paulo is
near Paulista´s Championship title. In the second
match between the two teams, next Sunday, São
Paulo will be the champion, even if lose for 1 x
0. França scored São Paulo´s goal in the 30th
second in the first match.

 

[Alexx]

A solitary first-minute goal from França was enough to give São Paulo a slim advantage to take into the second leg of the Paulista Championship final against Santos. The superb lone effort from the current Brazil squad striker, where he received the ball from Marcelinho on the edge of the penalty area and took his time preparing the shot (despite two oncoming defenders) which sailed into the left of the net, was the only goal of the game despite many more attempts from both teams.

Although it was a tough game, with both sides being equally matched in every way, it was not a violent one and few yellow cards were handed out. Two of the ones that were, however, went to Santos defender Anderson who was sent off with five minutes remaining. But despite a close last-second effort from substitute Sandro Hiroshi, which goalkeeper Rogério Ceni managed to catch on his second attempt, the game finished without further incident.

 

[Ze da Fiel]

Teh game yesterday was brilliant.
in 47 seconds Franca scored......Vagner had a brilliant game. Now Sao Paulo can lose by 1x0 that the'll be champions.

Flamengo just made 3x0 on Vasco. Vasco just din't shw up for the game. Also, Vasco's manager Alcir Portela left felipe in the bench , and that killed Vasco's midfield, as they could not set up nothing for Edmundo or a sleepy Romario. Weel deserved win and now flanego can lose by 2x0 in the next game that they'll be champions

 

[Alexx]

Vasco appeared to be indifferent to this game, displaying no evidence of competition or will to win, and were duly punished by a determined, attacking Flamengo side. There was no sign from Vasco that they were facing the old enemy in a crunch match, and this was a poor way to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the club.

Fla made it clear from the very start that they were here to win, fouling Pedrinho and Paulo Miranda before thirty seconds had passed. Vasco duly fouled back, but it became clear very quickly that, for some reason, their hearts just weren't in the game. Iranildo was the first to take a shot at the Vasco goal after four minutes, but his shot sailed over. Vasco began to give away the first of the 16 corners they would concede throughout the 90 minutes as their defence looked very shaky and nervous, preferring to kick the ball away rather than play it. Fábio Baiano, who marshalled the right side of the pitch throughout the game, came close five minutes later only to see his shot from outside of the area saved well by a low dive from Helton. Then it was the turn of Tuta, who ran through the Vasco defence only to drill his shot wide, Reinaldo, heading wide from an Athirson cross, and Mozart, a powerful long range ball forcing Helton to punch over the bar, to take their attempts at goal - and Vasco had still not managed to put one successful attack together.

It was Paulo Miranda aho finally had the first attempt for Vasco. His shot went straight towards goalkeeper Clemer, who couldn't secure it, and came back out for Romário to pick up. But Maurinho tackled the ball away and, despite appeals for a penalty, Flamengo went on the offensive once more. Tuta came close to opening the score after half an hour, using a neat little flick from the side of his foot to propel the ball towards goal. But Helton was once again equal to it and dived low to keep it out. Then came the best opportunity of the first half, Fabão shooting past Helton on the edge of the area only to see the ball blocked on the goal line by Nasa.

Vasco were a virtual non-team. The defence was shaky, the midfield losing every battle for the ball, and Romário and Edmundo were not in the game at all. Only Pedrinho was really trying, but with the rest of the team floating around his attempts were useless. Flamengo, on the other hand, were ruling the pitch. Athirson had the run of the left side, Fábio Baiano the right, and Mozart was fighting a running battle with Amaral in the central midfield - and winning, easily. Such was the one-sidedness of the game being played that it came as a shock when the half-time whistle blew and there was still no goal.

Vasco came back with a little more grit in the second half, but no more footballing talent. They began to foul Fla heavily, forcing Reinaldo to be stretchered off after five minutes owing to a clash with Odvan - although the Flamengo striker returned a few minutes later. But in the twelth minute disaster struck Vasco, when Nasa picked up a second yellow card after a harsh tackle on Fábio Baiano. With only ten men on the field and the strength of the attack of Flamengo it was almost inevitable that a goal would come soon. But it was not until half an hour into the second half that the goal appeared. It was Athirson, and he almost deserved it for the amount of attacking work he'd put in, who took a shot from the left side of the area that rolled past Odvan and left Helton standing helpless as it went into the bottom right of the goal.

It might have been expected that Vasco would pick up their game after this, but nothing changed. Romário was away from the action (and didn't take a single shot at goal during the entire game) and Edmundo was caught offside six times. It was a terrible display from would-be champions. Twelve minutes later, Fla struck again. This time it was after Amaral fouled Athirson on the left of the penalty box. Fábio Baiano took the kick directly and it soared into the top right corner over Héltons outstretched hands. And to add insult to injury a third goal followed, this one in the final minute of regular time and from substitute Beto, who headed in a cross from Maurinho.

Flamengo now go to the second leg with a three goal advantage, making it extremely difficult for Vasco to be able to win. And if they put on another display like today, they don't deserve to.

Teams:
FLAMENGO: Clemer; Maurinho, Fabão, Juan, Athirson; Leandro Ávila, Mozart, Fábio Baiano, Iranildo (Beto); Reinaldo (Lúcio), Tuta (Rodrigo Mendes).
VASCO: Hélton; Filipe Alvim, Odvan, Mauro Galvão, Gilberto (Felipe); Nasa, Amaral, Paulo Miranda (Válber), Pedrinho (Alex Oliveira); Edmundo, Romário.

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