Grêmio Knocks Off Santos, Wins Third Straight

Facing its first real test of this Brazilian Championship season, Grêmio knocked off 3rd place Santos 1-0 to extend its current winning streak to three. Grêmio (14 pts), who only three rounds ago was in the relegation zone, is now sitting in 8th place and is just 4 points out of the Libertadores Cup qualifying zone. Santos (17 pts) dropped into 5th place with the loss. The Tricolor has one more game, against São Caetano (10 pts, 14th place) at Olímpico on Saturday, before the Brazilian Championship breaks for the World Cup. Santos, meanwhile, will host Botafogo (9 pts, 18th place) at Vila Belmiro.

Grêmio did not have a memorable first half offensively. The Tricolor’s first real scoring opportunity did not materialize until the 21st minute when Alessandro’s shot from just outside the area was defended by Fábio Costa. The offense was so ineffective that the game’s lone goal came on a set play. In the 34th, Hugo headed in a corner kick taken by Tcheco to give the Tricolor the only score it would need: Grêmio, 1-0.

But while the offense struggled, the defense was spectacular. The Tricolor held the potent Santos offense in check, limiting the Fish to harmless distance shots. The same defense that yielded 12 goals over a four-game span was on its way to its third consecutive clean sheet.

For the second half, Wanderlei Luxemburgo put in Magno and André in order to get more production from his offense. But Grêmio’s solid defensive play allowed Santos only two scoring chances during the final period. André, in the 26th, and Kléber,in the 40th, both hit the left post with blasts from outside the area. On Grêmio’s side of the ball, Hugo managed several good crosses into the area but Herrera was unable to finish. The ineffectiveness of both offenses and two major errors by referee Paulo Henrique de Godoy Bezerra – who failed to award Grêmio a penalty kick late in the first and disallowed a legitimate Santos goal - ensured that the score remained 1-0.

After three successive wins, Grêmio has climbed from the relegation zone to within 4 points of the competition's leaders. A truly remarkable turnaround for a team that began the season 1-3, the club’s worst start since the Brazilian Championship converted to league format. Although the season is far from over, the fact that Grêmio has shown it can compete with the likes of Santos bodes well for the Tricolor’s chances of qualifying for a South American tournament next year. It’s been two years since Grêmio has participated in a continental competition, far too long for a club of its tradition. If the Tricolor can continue to improve, as it always seems to do under Mano Menezes, Grêmio will be back on the international scene in 2007.

Grêmio (1)	Santos (0)
Hugo (34')
Sandro (18') Lucas (72')	Luiz Alberto (43') André (47')
Venue:  Olímpico Stadium, Porto Alegre (RS)
Grêmio: Galatto; Alessandro, Maidana (Nunes, 31'), William and Wellington; Lucas, Sandro, Tcheco and Hugo (Rudnei, 80'); Ramón and Ricardinho (Herrera, 58'). Coach: Mano Menezes	Santos: Fábio Costa; Ávalos, Domingos and Luiz Alberto (Magno, HT); Dênis, Maldonado, Fabinho (André, HT), Wendel (Wellington Paulista, 64'), Rodrigo Tabata and Kléber; Rodrigo Tiuí. Coach: Wanderley Luxemburgo