Ten-Man Grêmio Falls to São Paulo, 2-1

For the fifth time in this Brazilian Championship, Grêmio was forced to play the majority of a game with one less player as the Tricolor once again suffered a first half ejection. Nunes red card in the 37th minute allowed São Paulo to come from behind and hand the Tricolor Gaúcho a 2-1 loss at Morumbi Stadium. The result snapped Grêmio’s six-game unbeaten streak in the Brazilian Championship. Despite the setback, Grêmio (15 pts) remains in 9th place and in the South American Cup qualifying zone. São Paulo (23 pts), meanwhile, kept pace with co-leaders Cruzeiro and Internacional, trailing the pair by a single point.

Had Grêmio managed to play the entire game with 11 players, the Tricolor Gaúcho might have left São Paulo with at least one point. On a counter-attack in the 6th minute, Sandro received a cross from Patrício and passed to the left, finding Ramón on a breakaway. The midfielder’s shot glanced off Alex, redirecting the ball past Rogério Ceni and into the back of the net: Grêmio, 1-0. São Paulo equalized in the 18th when Ricardo Oliveira out-leaped the Grêmio defense on a Souza corner kick. Galatto, who was out of position, was unable to make the save: 1-1.

The scoreboard reflected the play on the field: two teams evenly matched. But in the 37th minute everything changed. Nunes received a dubious yellow card and, since it was his second of the game, was ejected. Mano Menezes suffered an identical fate after arguing the call with referee Álvaro Azeredo Quelhas, leaving the Gaúchos under the command of assistant coach Flávio Trevisan.

Playing with a numerical advantage, Muricy Ramalho changed to a more offensive formation after halftime. Grêmio held off the São Paulo attack at first, but in the 56th Danilo managed a head pass froma cross by Junior and Ricardo Oliveira, ever the opportunist, sank the ball into the net once again: São Paulo, 2-1. With the lead in hand, the Paulistas merely sat back and milked the clock. The ejection of Alex Silva later in the half breathed some life into the Tricolor Gaúcho. Now playing with even numbers, Grêmio began to threaten the São Paulo goal, creating at least two scoring chances. But it was too little, too late as the clock ran out and São Paulo held on for the victory.

São Paulo (2)	Grêmio (1)
Ricardo Oliveira (18') Ricardo Oliveira (56')	Alex (6' OG)
Lugano (45') Alex Silva (51') Alex Silva (70') Leandro (77')	Nunes (32') Nunes (37') Ramón (45') Herrera (64') Maidana (82')
Venue:  Morumbi Stadium, São Paulo (SP)
São Paulo: Rogério Ceni; Alex Silva, Lugano and Alex (Leandro, HT); Souza, Mineiro, Josué, Danilo and Júnior (Lúcio, 77'); Thiago (Ramalho, 72') and Ricardo Oliveira. Coach: Muricy Ramalho	Grêmio: Galatto; Patrício, Maidana, William and Wellington (Valdeir, 64'); Nunes, Sandro, Tcheco, Ramón (Rômulo, 81') and Rafinha (Jeovânio, HT); Herrera. Coach: Mano Menezes