Despite not having a head coach for their second consecutive game, Palmeiras pulled out on Saturday another victory, beating Nautico 4-1.
The team is temporarily in second place in the 10th round of play in the Brazilian soccer championship.
Palmeiras jumped out to an early lead when they scored in the 7th minute. Off a freekick from the right corner, Mauricio Ramos headed the ball into the net to score the game's first goal. In the 28th minute, Willians scored the team's second goal off another header.
Nautico would score their only goal of the game in the 65th minute. Off a fast break, Marcio Barros attempted a shot from long distance. The ball ricocheted off the defense of Wendel and ended up fooling the Palmeiras goalkeeper and entering the net.
Palmeiras responded quickly, scoring in the 72nd minute. After a give-and-go with Diego Souza, Pablo Armero received the ball while cutting towards the net and fired a bullet into the Nautico net, scoring his team's third goal. The game's last goal came in the 84th minute when Pierre created some free room and took a shot on goal that blew past the Nautico defense.
With Saturday's result, Palmeiras currently stands in second place with 19 points. They are trailing the first place Internacional by one point. However, the team may drop in the standings due to the results of the rest of the round's play.
Palmeiras has now gone ten games without a defeat, accumulating four victories and sixties. It is their best performance of the year thus far.
(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2009)
