By Robbie Blakeley, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Fluminense twice came from behind to beat São Paulo last night in the sixth round of the Campeonato Brasileiro. Of the three Carioca teams in action, Flu was the only side to pick up three points, as Botafogo went down at Grêmio and Flamengo drew with Bahia.
A brilliant performance from Walter helped Fluminense to a 5-2 win over São Paulo at the Maracanã. The forward scored twice as the Paulistas were defeated for the first time in the national league.
The visitors were ahead twice but Cristovão Borges seems to have turned around the posture of this Fluminense outfit. Not once did their heads drop.
Rogério Ceni put São Paulo ahead from the penalty spot after Antônio Carlos was felled by Wellington Silva. A swivel and shot from Walter leveled before Pato’s precisely placed header restored São Paulo’s lead just before the break.
After the interval it was all Flu, as three goals in ten minutes obliterated the Paulista’s chances. First, an own goal from Lucão brought the scores level again before a beautifully chopped effort from Walter which swerved majestically inside the far corner.
Wágner and Rafael Sóbis both converted from close-range to round off the goal fest. The result puts Flu back in the top four.
Meanwhile, Flamengo stumbled at home, drawing 1-1 with Bahia in Macaé. A Paulinho header gave the Rubro-Negro the lead but Anderson Talisca snatched an injury-time equalizer for the visitors.
Botafogo’s season goes from bad to worse after a 2-1 reverse away to Grêmio. The match started in promising fashion, when Zeballos put the Glorioso ahead from Carlos Alberto’s assist after only five minutes.
Yet Rodriguinho leveled for the Gaúchos just before the break and Maxi Rodriguez netted the winner ten minutes before the final whistle. A fourth defeat in six games leaves Botafogo in the relegation zone.
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