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Celso Roth’s team ensured they’d stay leaders at the halfway point of the Campeonato Brasileiro after demolishing Atlético Mineiro 4-0 in Belo Horizonte.

Goals from William Magrão, Tcheco and two from substitute Reinaldo have Grêmio fans believing that their team now has a realistic chance of picking up their first league championship since 1996.

The Porto Alegre outfit are leading scorers with 35 and have the tightest defence after conceding just 12 throughout the campaign.

Earlier this season, Roth was the target for a large section of the Grêmio fans who were unhappy with the more pragmatic style the team had adopted. But the results are coming and tactically, Grêmio appear to be getting everything right.

Cruzeiro blew their chance to put some space between them and the chasing pack when they went down 2-1 at Portuguesa. Jonas swept the ball home to give the São Paulo team the lead. Edno made it 2-0 before Fabrício grabbed a consolation goal for Cruzeiro.

Palmeiras dropped points after losing away 1-0 at Botafogo. The only goal in the estádio Engenhão came from substitute Zé Carlos late in the second-half.

São Paulo saw off a spirited Goiás 2-1 in the Morumbi. Zé Luís and Rodrigo were on target for Muricy Ramalho’s team. The in-form Iarley struck for the travellers.

Vitória got back to winning ways after walloping Vasco 5-0 in Bahia. Dinei, Ramon, Leandro Domingues, Jackson and Adriano made it a nightmare start for Vasco’s new coach, Tita. Vasco drop into the bottom four.

Flamengo put an end to their seven-match winless streak after Jaílton grabbed the game’s only goal against Atlético Paranaense. The Cariocas dominated possession but rarely threatened Galatto in the Atlético goal and had to wait until late into the second-period before getting the vital strike on target. Atlético have now lost eight out of nine away games

Coritiba continued to apply pressure on the leaders after they picked up their third win in a row. Marlos, and two from the ever impressive Keirrison, did the damage against Sport.

Despite taking the lead through Tartá, Fluminense lost their six-pointer vs Ipatinga 2-1. Adeílson and Kempes gave Ipatinga the points and renewed hope of escaping the drop. The defeat spelt the end of Renato Gaúcho. The coach led Flu to their first ever Libertadores final earlier this year but the club has struggled in the league all season. Cuca, who recently failed at Botafogo and Santos, is being lined up as a replacement. Gaúcho’s dismissal means that 12 of the 20 clubs have changed coach at least once over the 19 rounds.

Robert Fernandes is in charge at Náutico for the second time this campaign. He got off to a winning start on his return by beating strugglers Santos 1-0.

The bottom four now includes three former champions: Vasco, Santos and Fluminense.

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