Argentinian striker José Manuel ‘Flaco’ López was the hero of the game as he scored in added time to give Palmeiras a 1-0 win over Cruzeiro. The goal came in the 96th minute when López saved a Raphael Veiga free-kick. Despite the difficulties Abel Ferreira’s side faced, they managed to unlock the game and take all three points.
The win allowed Palmeiras to climb to second place in the Brazilian league with 34 points. However, they are far from the leaders, Botafogo, who have an almost perfect record of fifteen wins, two draws, and just two losses. Behind Palmeiras is Gremio, with 33 points and a game in hand.
On the other hand, Cruzeiro received a harsh penalty after showing a good image in the game. Although they controlled the ball, they missed several chances and paid dearly in the end. The Belo Horizonte team, owned by Ronaldo “Fenômeno” and also owners of Real Valladolid in Spain, finished the first round in the middle of the table, just six points from the relegation zone to the second division.
In short, Palmeiras clinched a decisive victory thanks to a stoppage-time goal from “Flaco” López. The team finished second in the Brazilian league behind leaders Botafogo. For his part, Cruzeiro suffered the penalty for not converting his chances and found himself in a compromising position at the table.
