Palmeiras lack sparkle but take chances to top Brasileiro | OneFootball

Palmeiras defeated Internacional by 3 to 1 on Thursday night and took the lead in the Brazilian Championship. By the score, it may seem like it was an easy game for Verdão, but that wasn't quite the case. Although the team did not display its best football collectively, they managed to build a good scoreline for the match that took place at Beira-Rio.

For the third consecutive time, Abel Ferreira repeated Palmeiras' lineup. With what he considers his ideal team, Verdão achieved their third straight win and has been watching the team gradually gel together.

The start of the match was choppy and Palmeiras had some difficulties keeping possession, struggling with Internacional's high pressing. Little by little, the visitors got into the game and, working through the middle, Allan forced Rochet to make a save at the 18th minute. Shortly after, Andreas Pereira, taking a corner kick, was deadly and found Gómez's head to open the scoring.

It was time to grow in the game, but Palmeiras switched off and saw Internacional persist and equalize at the 35th minute. Inter's goal came in transition after Vitor Roque wasted a chance to score another. Taking advantage of their home field, Colorado nearly turned the game around, but Carlos Miguel made a great save.

Vitor Roque redeemed himself for the missed goal in the first half and found the net in the second. In a trademark play, he got past two defenders, entered the box, and even dribbled one of them before slotting the ball home. The ball deflected and crossed the line to put Verdão back in front. Seeing the danger Inter posed, Abel decided to make changes, trying to protect the team more.

Jefté, Evangelista, and Giay came on, as well as Sosa and Luighi. The latter stole the ball from Mercado in Inter's defensive half and passed it to Evangelista, who assisted Andreas Pereira. The 3-1 scoreline was a safe one, but Verdão sweated until the end to secure the result.

Palmeiras' Situation

With the win over Internacional, Palmeiras took the lead in the Brasileirão, with seven points earned. The team leads the table on goal difference and is closely followed by São Paulo, Fluminense, and Bahia. Now, Alviverde turns its attention back to the Paulista, a tournament in which it is the runner-up, with 15 points.

Palmeiras' Next Match

Match: Palmeiras vs Guarani Competition: Campeonato Paulista (8th round) Date and time: February 15, 2026 (Sunday), at 8:30 pm (Brasília time) Venue: Arena Barueri, in Barueri (SP)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.