By Robbie Blakeley, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Vasco da Gama got their 2013 Campeonato Brasileiro campaign off to a winning start last night as they beat Portuguesa 1-0 at São Januário. A Ténorio effort two minutes after the restart was sufficient to ensure the Cruz-Maltino put recent woes behind them and made the best possible start to the national league season.
The Carioca club played excellently from the first whistle. Autouri’s men dominated the match for almost the entirety, their opponents finding it an uphill task just to create an opening in front of goal.
Vasco haven’t played a game since April 20th, when they were eliminated from the Campeonato Carioca. But the side showed no signs of rustiness and they can now look to Wednesday night’s daunting match against São Paulo at the Morumbí.
Meanwhile, Botafogo came away from the Pacaembu with a 1-1 draw following their duel with Corinthians. Clarence Seedorf was majestic, at the heart of everything the Alvinegro crafted, his touch and vision once again proving his worth to the team.
Botafogo deservedly went ahead through Rafael Marques on 25 minutes. But the side’s productivity waned after the interval and the home side seized the game by the rough of the neck.
Paulinho’s firm header leveled in what could be his last game for the Paulista club. He has been strongly linked with a move to Italian club Internazionale during the European summer transfer window.
This afternoon, Santos play Flamengo at the Estádio Mané Garrincha in Brasília whilst Fluminense host Atlético-PR.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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