Goals from midfielder Alisson and Brasileirão top scorer Marcelo Moreno helped Cruzeiro to a 2-0 win over Atlético Paranaense on Wednesday night.
Having been beaten for just the third time this season by São Paulo four days earlier, Marcelo Oliveira’s side got quickly back on track in a game that saw Atlético fail to register a shot on target.
Cruzeiro’s lead at the top of the Brasileirão is back to seven points after São Paulo and Internacional slipped up on Thursday. The former lost 3-1 at Coritiba, while the Colorado were held to a 0-0 draw by over-achievers Sport Recife.
Elsewhere on Thursday, Botafogo had Emerson, Luis Ramirez and Júlio César sent off in a 3-2 loss to Bahia, Flamengo threw away a two goal lead to draw 2-2 with Palmeiras and Atlético Mineiro fought off a late comeback to beat Goiás 3-2.
That defeat for the Esmeraldino was a second in a row and leaves them just five points above the relegation zone, despite being 12th.
Such a scenario has occurred due to the improved form of the clubs fighting at the bottom, with all the teams who are below Goiás in the standings, bar Botafogo, avoiding defeat in this round of fixtures.
Of those, Vitória secured the most eye-catching result – a 3-1 win over Fluminense, while elsewhere Criciúma drew 1-1 at Figueirense and Chapecoense held Corinthians to the same scoreline.
On Friday, the final game of the round saw Grêmio draw 0-0 with Santos at Arena do Grêmio.
Round 22 results
Wednesday 17th September | ||
Cruzeiro | 2 – 0 | Atlético Paranaense |
Alisson [27"] | ||
Marcelo Moreno [55"] | ||
Vitória | 3 – 1 | Fluminense |
Dinei [67"] | Cícero [19"] | |
William Henrique [71"] | ||
Vinícius [76"] | ||
Thursday 18th September | ||
Figueirense | 1 – 1 | Criciúma |
Thiago Heleno [63"] | Silvinho [45"] | |
Sport Recife | 0 – 0 | Internacional |
Palmeiras | 2 – 2 | Flamengo |
Diogo [48"] | Héctor Canteros [13"] | |
Victor Luis [69"] | Alecsandro [32"] | |
Coritiba | 3 – 1 | São Paulo |
Hélder [60"] | Michel Bastos [45"] | |
Joel Tadjo [63", 86"] | ||
Botafogo | 2 – 3 | Bahia |
Emerson [30". 43"] | Dankler [OG 32"] | |
Maxi Biancucchi [73"] | ||
Branquinho [90"] | ||
Corinthians | 1 – 1 | Chapecoense |
Malcolm [10"] | Ferrugem [OG 50"] | |
Goiás | 2 – 3 | Atlético Mineiro |
Erik [79"] | Guilherme [18", 42"] | |
Jackson [90+3"] | Carlos Carvalho [45"] | |
Friday 19th September | ||
Grêmio | 0 – 0 | Santos |
2014 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A standings