Brazil Serie A wrap: Anderson double steers Santos

9 July 2012 04:08

A Felipe Anderson brace has helped Santos return to winning ways in the Brazil Serie A, while Atletico Miniero maintained top spot.

Santos started to put a disappointing opening to the new season behind them through a 4-2 victory over Gremio at the Estadio Urbano.

Edu Dracena opened the scoring for Santos following an assist from Neymar in the 28th minute before Anderson doubled the lead 11 minutes later.

Neymar found himself on the scoresheet in the 62nd minute before Anderson completed his brace eight minutes later.

There was still some drama to come, though, as Gremio pulled two goals back through Vilson and Marquinhos, but it was too little too late for the visitors, who drop to eighth following their second consecutive loss as Santos climb into 15th on the Serie A table.

Atletico Mineiro, meanwhile, maintained their one-point buffer atop the table through a 2-0 win over 14th-placed Portuguesa, with goals coming either side of the break from Marcos Rocha and Leonardo Silva.

But Fluminense remain hot on the heels of Atletico Mineiro in second position following a 1-0 win over Flamengo (ninth), their fourth consecutive victory, courtesy of Fred's 11th-minute goal.

Third-placed Vasco da Gama were held to a 1-1 draw on the road by Figueirense (13th) as fourth-placed Sao Paulo closed the gap between themselves and the top three sides to just two points through a 3-1 victory over Coritiba (16th).

Ponte Preta remain in tenth on the table through a 1-0 victory over Palmeiras (18th) as an 89th-minute goal from Marquinhos Gabriel helped Sport Recife (12th) heap more misery on second-last Corinthians in a dramatic 1-1 draw.