Sport Sends Portuguesa to the Série B

Sport has a history of being kind to the teams languishing at the bottom of the standings. Sport gave two goals to Vasco da Gama when Vasco last came to Recife, couldn't manage to put Náutico away, and today went to São Paulo to play Portuguesa. Sport scored first, fell behind 2-1, and then tied it -- a result that sends Portuguesa back to the Série B.

Globo decided that all of us in Recife would prefer to watch Fluminense play against São Paulo, and nobody was streaming the game, so I have no idea what it was like. All I know is that Sport finally did the minimum necessary against a team that was struggling for its life: Sport put a foot on Portuguesa's neck. I have no particular ill will toward Portuguesa, so today's result represented no particular happiness. I do, however, wish ill upon Vasco da Gama, and fervently hope that the point Vasco managed in Recife won't save them. Today's results look good -- Náutico is all but assured of survival, and Vasco needs to win and then hope for favorable results. It looks like all of the relegated teams will be from the South and Southeast -- as are all of the teams moving up from the Série B, so it's important that no teams from the Northeast fall.