Veteran striker Dodo scored a first-half hat trick in just his
third match back from a two-year doping suspension to help Vasco
rout a 10-man Botafogo 6-0 in the Rio de Janeiro state championship
on Sunday.
Dodo, 35, opened the scoring just three minutes into the
match at Engenhao stadium with a low shot from the top of the area.
He added to the lead in the 32nd with a right-footed strike from
close range and completed the hat trick two minutes later with a
shot from inside the area.
Midfielder Leo Gago increased Vasco's lead with a powerful
free strike in the 56th, and striker Phillipe Coutinho closed the
scoring with goals in the 60th and 82nd.
Botafogo played a man down from the 14th minute after
midfielder Eduardo was shown a red card for a hard foul on Vasco
midfielder Souza.
Dodo, who played briefly for Brazil in the late 1990s, was
suspended after testing positive for the banned stimulant
fenproporex while playing for rival Botafogo in a match against
Vasco in the 2007 Brazilian league.
The match marked the debut of Botafogo's biggest acquisition
for 2010 - Uruguay striker Sebastian Abreu, who ended substituted
early in the second half.
Vasco has now won three straight games to open the Guanabara
Cup, the first stage of the Rio de Janeiro state tournament.
Another three-time winner this season in Rio is Fluminense,
which defeated Volta Redonda 1-0 at Maracana stadium with a goal by
defender Leandro Euzebio in the fifth minute. Fluminense, which
played without star striker Fred because of a minor injury, has
outscored its opponents 7-0 in its first three matches.
On Saturday, former CSKA Moscow striker Vagner Love scored a
pair of goals in his debut with Flamengo, helping the Brazilian
champion beat Bangu 2-1 at Engenhao stadium for its third win in a
row.
Love left Palmeiras earlier this year after being attacked by
fans who were upset with his performance.
Flamengo is the defending champion in the Rio de Janeiro
championship, which is divided in two stages. The winner of the
Guanabara Cup will face the Rio Cup champion for the state title.
America, coached by former striker Bebeto and directed by
Bebeto's former Brazil teammate Romario, defeated Macae 3-2 in
Campos for its first win of the year.
In the Sao Paulo state championship, defending champion
Corinthians picked up its second consecutive win by beating Oeste
2-1. Defender Paulo Andre scored in the 27th and midfielder Boquita
added another in the 35th.
Striker Ronaldo was rested by Corinthians, but left back
Roberto Carlos played the entire match at the Fonte Luminosa in
Araraquara.
At Palestra Italia stadium, World Cup veteran midfielder
Juninho Paulista scored a second-half goal to help Ituano draw
Palmeiras 3-3. The 36-year-old Juninho is also the president of
Ituano, which twice erased a two-goal deficit against the four-time
national champion.
Palmeiras, which played a man down from the 61st after
midfielder Gualberto was sent off, led 3-1 with 10 minutes to play.
Sao Caetano, the 2004 Sao Paulo state champion, took the
competition's lead with seven points from three matches after
routing Sertaozinho 5-1 in Sao Caetano do Sul.
Portuguesa fell from first to second place after a 1-1 draw
with Bragantino in Braganca Paulista on Saturday.
Also Saturday, Sao Paulo earned its first win with a 3-0
victory over last-place Rio Claro at Morumbi stadium. Goalkeeper
Rogerio Ceni scored his 86th career goal with a 90th-minute penalty
kick, and striker Washington and midfielder Hernanes also netted
for the six-time national champion.
Sao Paulo's Argentine right back Adrian Gonzalez was sent off
in the second half after receiving his second yellow card.
In other results Sunday, Santos fell 2-1 at Mogi Mirim and
Santo Andre beat visiting Paulista 4-2.
