Inter de Porto Alegre continues to disappoint its fans when it lost 0-1 at home to Fortaleza on Saturday, in the match of the 20th Brasileirao tournament.

A first-half penalty from former Inter player Thiago Galhard earned three points for the visitors, against an opponent who reserved several starters for this week’s continental clash against Bolívar and added an eighth day without a win.

One of the soccer players who was on the bench, but did not play, is the Ecuadorian striker Enner Valencia.

In Belo Horizonte, Corinthians started a 1-1 draw away to Cruzeiro with a goal by Gustavo Mosquito in the 98th minute, on his return to the team after a ten-month injury.

The home team took the lead in the first half with a goal by Rafael Elías, although Corinthians’ substitutions managed to equalize in a painful result. The headlines constantly revolved around Tuesday’s clash at the Sudamericana against Estudiantes of La Plata.

In their first match of the second round of the Brazilian championship, the leader Botafogo drew in Sao Paulo at James Rodríguez (0-0), and the second-placed Palmeiras reduced the difference by two points after a 2-0 victory away to Cuiaba.

At a packed Morumbí Stadium, Botafogo goalkeeper Lucas Perri was the man of the match, making several creditable saves to prevent a home goal.

In Sao Paulo, Colombian James Rodríguez played his first game as a starter, while in Botafogo his new reinforcement, veteran striker Diego Costa, made his debut.

With the score tied, Botafogo is the leader with 11 points ahead of second-placed Palmeiras, while Sao Paulo is tenth with 20 points behind the leaders.

Palmeiras, the defending champions, closed the gap with a two-point lead after a 2-0 win away to Cuiaba.

Raphael Veiga’s first-half header and Colombian Richard Ríos’s wonderful long-range strike in the second gave victory to ‘Verdau’, the reigning champions and who are dreaming of a repeat title, despite the deficit to Botafogo.

In Rio de Janeiro, Fluminense climbed to third place with a 3-1 win against bottom club América Mineira.

The visitors took the lead at the beginning of the second half with a goal by Felipe Azevedo, but Flu reacted quickly, and John Kennedy equalized a minute later. Then Argentina’s Germán Cano and Colombia’s John Arias scored for Flu to leave three points for tricolor Rio de Janeiro, who are 14 points behind the leaders, while América remained at the bottom, 8 points from safety. (D)