Roque Brace Strengthens Palmeiras Title Charge
SAO PAULO, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) – Vitor Roque scored two goals in the second half as Palmeiras solidified its lead atop Brazil's Serie A with a 2-0 victory over Santos at Allianz Parque on Thursday.
The deadlock was broken in the 67th minute when Roque received a pass from Juan Manuel Lopez, outpaced the goalkeeper Gabriel Brazao, and calmly finished into an open net. The former Barcelona forward doubled Palmeiras' advantage 10 minutes later by lifting the ball over Brazao following a through ball from Rafael Veiga.
Palmeiras now leads the league with 68 points, three ahead of second-place Flamengo. Both teams have seven matches remaining this season.
“In the first half we weren't able to translate our dominance into goals,” said Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira. “But that changed after halftime. With the changes that we made, we had great energy and looked to score at every opportunity. It's a deserved victory.”
Other Serie A Results
- Ceara drew 1-1 at home against Fortaleza.
- Fluminense won 1-0 in their home game versus Mirassol.
Summary: Vitor Roque’s two second-half goals secured a crucial win for Palmeiras, extending their lead in the Brazilian Serie A and reinforcing their title ambitions.