Dressing-room chaos follows 57-foul match in Brazil
Brian Homewood
Players and officials from Brazilian champions Atletico Paranaense and Sao Paulo threatened, swore at and insulted each other in the dressing rooms after sharing 57 fouls and two goals in a league match on Sunday.
Visiting Sao Paulo accused an Atletico security guard of punching defender Julio Santos as he left the pitch after being substituted in the second half.
Furious Sao Paulo players, including Julio Santos himself, swore at and threatened Atletico officials as they entered the dressing-rooms in an incident broadcast live on national television.
But Atletico president Mario Cesar Petraglia flippantly dismissed their complaints as "clowning around", and dubbed Julio Santos a "cry baby".
The incidents came after a bad-tempered, foul-ridden match in which referee Antonio Pereira was criticised for failing to clamp down as players kicked, elbowed and scythed each other down repeatedly.
Dagoberto put Atletico in front but Sao Paulo equalised two minutes from time with a brilliantly-executed free kick from Brazil international Ricardinho -- his first goal since joining from arch-rivals Corinthians.
"It's a pity that the Brazilian champions behave in this manner," said Sao Paulo coach Oswaldo Oliveira, whose team are seventh in the table, one place above their opponents.
BEST GOALS
Gremio striker Rodrigo Fabri scored one of the best goals of the season as he set the 1996 champions on the way to a 4-0 win over Vitoria.
Rodrigo left four defenders in his wake as he ran from the halfway line before blasting the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the penalty area in the second minute.
He scored twice more to complete his second hat-trick of the championship before midfielder Emerson added the fourth goal in a dramatic match which also saw three players sent off.
Gremio goalkeeper Danrlei was dismissed early in the second half for a second bookable offence. But the visitors finished with nine men after striker Allan Delon and Colombian international Victor Hugo Aristizabal were also shown red cards.
Leaders Juventude were held to a goalless draw at Guarani and had their advantage cut to three points over Coritiba, who won 2-0 at Botafogo, and Corinthians, who beat Parana 2-1.
Striker Guilherme, back after a six-week injury lay-off, scored both Corinthians goals in the last seven minutes -- the second a penalty -- after Parana had led for most of the game.
"I'm a guy who never gives up," he said.
Hapless Palmeiras, South American champions only three years ago, remained rooted to the bottom of the table after losing 1-0 at Figueirense.
Brazil international goalkeeper Marcos, who had a request to be dropped from the team turned down by coach Levir Culpi on Thursday, missed the game with a thigh injury.
