Corinthians, Vasco pull clear

Leading pair Corinthians and Vasco da Gama opened up a five-point gap on their nearest pursuers with four games remaining in the Campeonato season after victories on Sunday. Vasco survived the second-half dismissal of Romulo to beat Botafogo 2-0 at home. By the time Romulo saw red in the 67th minute, the hosts already led 2-0 through Fellipe Bastos and Dede. Corinthians made an astonishing start against Atletico Paranaense as Paulinho and Emerson put them 2-0 up inside four minutes. Paulo Baier pulled a goal back in the 48th minute but that was as good as it got for Atletico. Flamengo fell six points behind the leaders after a 2-0 defeat at Coritiba, Leandro Donizete and Maranhao with the goals in a seven-minute first-half spell. Santos won a topsy-turvy game away to struggling Ceara by the odd goal in five. Bruno Aguiar put the visitors ahead but Felipe Azevedo's penalty and Oswaldo's strike put Ceara 2-1 up at half-time. But Bruno Aguiar struck again five minutes after the interval and Diogo's 72nd-minute goal won it for Santos. Gremio came from 2-0 down to draw with Palmeiras. Cicinho and Marcos Assuncao put Palmeiras 2-0 up but Brandao halved the deficit and Fernando bagged a last-minute equaliser. Ten-man Bahia won 1-0 at Atletico Goianense, Rodrigo De Souza scoring in the 10th minute before he was sent off in the 31st. Ernesto Farias scored the only goal as Cruzeiro beat Internacional, who had Elton sent off early in the second half.