The Big Match: Sao Paulo 4-0 Ceara

The home side should have took the lead almost instantly when Dagoberto headed a cross towards the goal but it hit the post and the Ceara defence eventually cleared.  Both teams struggled to ease into the match with the early stages mostly played out in midfield. Ceara hadn’t read the script and were competing with […]
by
sambafoot_admin
2011-09-18 02:00:00

The home side should have took the lead almost instantly when Dagoberto headed a cross towards the goal but it hit the post and the Ceara defence eventually cleared. 

Both teams struggled to ease into the match with the early stages mostly played out in midfield. Ceara hadn’t read the script and were competing with the nervous looking Sao Paulo with Washington looking dangerous in attack.

On the twentieth minute mark, Osvaldo was able to get down the left, beating two defenders and cross a low ball which Washington was unlucky not to connect with. Straight after, a cross which came in from the right this time, found Washington once again in the area and his header was well saved by Rodrigo Ceni to deny them from the lead.

As the game went on, Ceara were the more comfortable looking team with Sao Paulo unable to keep the ball in the middle of the park. Fans in the Morambi were already calling for Rivaldo to come on which shows the extent of the bad start from Tricolor.

The game lacked chances until a flurry of activity at the end of the half. First, Lucas tried to feed in Casimiro who was unmarked, and he headed against the crossbar. 

Ceara, not to be outdone, raced up the other end and could have took the lead themselves. Ceni once again had to deny Vicente who was close to breaking the deadlock but it was the home side who would do that.

Two minutes before half-time, Carlinhos crossed for full-back Juan who rose highest to head home and finally give Tricolor the lead. Taking confidence from this, Sao Paulo doubled their lead when once again a cross from the left, found Paraguayan international Piris at the far post, and he slotted home for his first goal for the club.

After the half-time break, Sao Paulo were changed team spreading the ball around with confidence which was mainly absent in the first half. Despite Ceara having a chance through Osvaldo, Sao Paulo would stretch their lead further. 

A moment of magic from Casimiro as he found himself in space 20 yards out and his shot moved in the air until it found the corner of the net; a simply stunning goal. 

Ceara, at this point, looked totally defeated with the home side dominating the game in all areas, with substitute Rivaldo beginning to pull the strings in the middle.

Tricolor extended their lead twenty minutes from time and it was the Brazilian legend who would extend the lead. A wonderful move down the left which included Juan resulted in a chipped cross towards Rivaldo, who found a yard of space, and he volleyed home brilliantly to make this begin to look like a rout.

Sao Paulo began to play like champions in a second half performance which would send a big message to their title rivals. 

The Morambi was bouncing and all memories of the loss away at Gremio have all but gone as the home side began to stroke the ball around in ‘showboat’ style.

Sao Paulo wouldn’t score any more goals in the match which will put pressure on Corinthians and Botafogo, who play their matches tomorrow.

Previous

Next

by
sambafoot_admin
Sep 18, 2011