Sao Paulo and Santos played out a dull goalless draw on Sunday in the Paulista state championship and neither side could come away from the match genuinely claiming to have deserved all three points from the eagerly-anticipated tie.
The fixture was seen as an early-season indicator as to where both teams were in terms of preparations for the Campeanato Brasileiro but on this form the rest of Brazil have little to worry about.
Santos were denied a late penalty, with Rogerio Ceni adjudged to have not fouled inside the box, much to young Gabriel’s consternation. Leandro Damiao failed to score again for his new side, in a week when Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is due to announce a domestic contingent for the upcoming friendly against South Africa on March 5.
