Two minutes from the kick off, Diego Souza thought he’d put Vasco in the lead after he cooly slotted the ball past goalkeeper, Cavalieri, only for the linesman to rule it out for offside.
In the early stages of the game, chances were being created but neither sides were able to trouble either goalkeeper.
Vasco were looking more comfortable in possession, but were finding it difficult to get passed a stubborn Fluminense defence.
Twenty minutes in to the game Flu started to find their feet in the game and went agonisingly close when their top goal scorer Fred had struck the wood work, after his deflected shot was tipped onto the post from with goalkeeper Prass’ with the slightest of touches.
On the thirtieth minute mark it was Vasco’s turn hit the frame of the goal. A Diego Souza header was parried into the path of Elton but the striker headed his chance onto the bar from just five yards out.
As the two Carioca rivals came out for the second half it was Fluminense who were dominating proceedings.
Marquinho’s quick free kick put through to Rafael Sobis one-on-one with Prass in goal only for the former Internacional striker chances going inches wide passed the post.
Three quarters in to the game, the 2010 league champions managed to create another opportunity when Marquinho dribbled his way through the Vasco defence teeing up his captain Fred only for the former Lyon striker poor first touch falling in to the hands of Prass.
Two minutes later, in the seventy seventh minute, Fred and Fluminense had paid the price.
A Barnardo corner from the right found the head of Vasco’s Romulo, who was able to head the ball back across goal, picking out substitute, Alecsandro, who made no mistake in heading Vasco in to the lead.
However, five minutes from ordinary time the Fluminense fans were on their feet where Mariano’s long floated pass from the half way line found Fred in the penalty area. The former Fluminense striker managed to control the ball on his chest and then struck a first time volley past a helpless Prass in goal to stun the Vasco fan in to silence.
But the game wasn’t done there. In the first minute of stoppage time, substitute, Bernardo, latched onto a cross sent in from the right, heading his effort straight at Cavalieri, who then parried it back into the path of the twenty one year old. Bernardo made no mistake with the rebound, smashing the ball straight in to the back of the net to give his Vasco all three points.
The win means the title will be decided on the final game of the season, with Vasco sitting in second, two points behind leaders Corinthians.
Both sides will face their arch rivals, Flamengo and Palmeiras, where just a draw against Palmeiras would be enough to clinch the title for Corinthians.
