By Robbie Blakeley, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Vasco da Gama kept their hundred percent record intact after beating Macaé 4-2 in the second round of the Taça Guanabara yesterday. The Guanabara is the first half to the Campeonato Carioca, the Rio de Janeiro state championship which began this past weekend.
Vasco suffered some scares during the evening but succeeded in overcoming a stubborn adversary. Macaé took the lead after fifteen minutes before Bernardo restored parity five minutes later.
Yet the underdogs never threw in the towel and continued to press. Both sides had chances to go in front but Vasco’s superior finishing told in the end.
On the half-hour, Eder Luis found Carlos Alberto who turned the defense and smashed his side into the lead. After the break, Vasco emerged reinvigorated as they looked to bury the game early.
They scored a third goal less than five minutes into the restart. Andre Ribeiro scored from close range to apparently put the game to bed.
Macaé came back again though when the referee awarded the visitors a penalty. Anderson Costa converted to give Vasco a nervy final fifteen minutes.
In injury-time, Dede put the result beyond doubt with Vasco’s fourth and left the field to chants of “Stay!” from the Vascainos. The defender continues to be linked with some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Juventus and Liverpool.
Flamengo let the lead slip against Madureira to draw 1-1. Ibson had put the Rubro-Negro ahead just before half-time but Rodrigo equalized from the penalty spot early in the second half.
Today, Botafogo travel to Bangu while Fluminense host Olaria.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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