Brasileirão Week 33-34: Pedro Haunts Palmeiras, Timão Halt Tricolor and Suárez Stuns Botafogo

A title race for the ages is upon us in Brazil, where six clubs are all in with a shout of winning a sensationally close fight for a league trophy that once looked destined for Botafogo, who now face an almighty fight for their first league triumph since 1997 following a dramatic downturn in form. With so many teams closely competing at both ends of the table, some gripping matches were bound to come as a result - and that was exactly what happened during a week of non-stop Brasileirão action. 

Following an utterly disastrous week consisting of two damaging defeats, faltering league leaders Botafogo had to recover rapidly for another decisive pair of matches against Grêmio and Red Bull Bragantino, third and fourth respectively and both eyeing a late title swoop of their own.

They got off to the perfect start in their first of the two tests though, racing into a sixth-minute lead through Diego Costa, before being pegged back just minutes later by Everton Galdino’s equaliser. We looked set for another goal-fest when Júnior Santos’ fifth goal in eight re-established the hosts’ lead before halftime before Marlon Freitas provided the two-goal cushion immediately after the break. 

Fogão’s incredible collapse after being 3-0 up against Palmeiras last week was sufficient warning that things can change very quickly, and when Luís Suárez reduced the deficit back to one within minutes, a nightmare sense of deja vu was sweeping through Estádio São Januário. The nightmare would become a reality within mere moments when Suárez’s second drew Grêmio level in an extraordinary beginning to the second half.