At the fore of the ongoing 27 state championships in Brazil, which have been underway since the end of January, Corinthians stormed to Sao Paulo’s prestigious tournament by beating Santos 4-2 on aggregate to extend an unbeaten sprint to 25 matches.
The Campeonato Paulista, considered as one of the leading state contests due to the intense concentration of formidable clubs, is ideal preparation for the upcoming 2009 Serie A national championship with the Timão delivering a menacing warning shot to their native rivals as their resurgence from Serie B motions into top gear.
Approaching the all-decisive second-leg staged at Pacaembu stadium, Corinthians held the upper hand with the reassuring comfort of a first-tie lead having won the Ronaldo-inspired match 3-1. Kleber Pereira sparked a temporary comeback for Santos from the penalty spot, but Andre Santos shattered the home supporters’ spirits with an equaliser only five minutes later.
For Corinthians it was their 26th success in the race to claim the status as the regional kingpin. Ronaldo could not hide his sheer joy, especially after many doubted the three-times FIFA Player of the Year could recover from a career-threatening leg injury to perform on an imposing stage again. "I doubt that there is anyone in the world right now as happy as I am right now. I can honestly tell you that I am the happiest man on earth.”
Flamengo prevailed victorious at the expense of Botafogo in the Rio de Janeiro state title, Cruzeiro obtained the Minas Gerais championship by overcoming Atletico Mineiro and the Parana State was awarded to Atletico Paranaense.
1 comment:
Good for Atletico Paranaense!
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