Brasileirão round 21: Gabigol's double wins the São Paulo derby for Santos, and Bernard's goal lifts Atlético-MG

Round 21 began at the end of July and is only now, during the international break, nearly done. Both of this weekend's matches were won by the side that had less of the ball: Santos came from behind to win 2–1 at São Paulo with two goals from Gabriel Barbosa, their fifth league win in a row, and Atlético-MG beat RB Bragantino 1–0 at the Arena MRV despite having eight shots to 23. Nine of the round's ten matches are now played, with nineteen goals between them. The tenth, Chapecoense v Vasco da Gama, was postponed and has not yet been played.

The catch-up matches

São Paulo 1–2 Santos on Friday night at the Morumbi went to the side with fewer chances. Luciano scored a penalty on 34 minutes, awarded after a VAR check, and Gabriel Barbosa, from Gonzalo Escobar's cross, headed the equaliser on 36. Philippe Coutinho came on at half-time for his Santos debut, and nine minutes later helped build the move from which Gabriel Barbosa, from Everton's pass, scored again on 54. São Paulo had 60 per cent of the ball, twenty shots and fourteen corners to Santos's one; Diógenes made seven saves. It was Santos's first win at São Paulo since a 1–0 in the Paulista in February 2024. Cuca said afterwards that Gabigol is living "a wonderful moment", Lance reports, and that Neymar's chance of playing against Flamengo is high.

Atlético-MG 1–0 RB Bragantino on Saturday began with a clash of heads in the second minute between Atlético's Vitor Hugo and Bragantino's Alix Vinícius. Bragantino said Alix was taken to hospital in Belo Horizonte, released after tests, and will follow the concussion protocol; Vitor Hugo went off on 23. Bernard scored the only goal on 18. Bragantino had 59 per cent of the ball, 23 shots and ten corners, and Gabriel Delfim made seven saves. Bragantino have not won in five league matches.

Botafogo 3–2 Grêmio, played on 16 September, belonged to Danilo Santos and Montoro. Danilo Santos scored on 30 from Montoro's pass, Cabral equalised on 36, Montoro, from Vitinho, scored on 52, and Danilo Santos, again from Montoro, made it 3–1 on 79. Gustavo Martins, from Tetê, pulled one back on 88, and a Carlos Vinícius goal in stoppage time was ruled out by VAR. Grêmio had 64 per cent of the ball; Botafogo put seven of their ten shots on target.

The July matches

Internacional 1–1 Flamengo: Vitinho put Internacional ahead on 27 and Samuel Lino, from Bruno Henrique's pass, equalised on 79. Flamengo had 73 per cent of the ball; both sides had five shots on target.

Mirassol 2–1 Remo: Marllon's own goal gave Mirassol the lead on 30, Picco equalised for Remo on 45, and João Victor, from Reinaldo's pass, won it on 54.

Fluminense 0–0 Bahia at the Maracanã was one-way traffic without a goal: Fluminense had 24 shots and eleven on target, Bahia none on target, and Ronaldo Strada made ten saves for Bahia.

Vitória 0–4 Palmeiras turned when Vitória lost two players in three minutes: Cacá was sent off on 37 and Luan Cândido on 40. Maurício, from Arias's pass, scored on 45 and Fabiano turned the ball into his own net in the same minute; Arias, from Piquerez's pass, scored the third on 70 and Sosa the fourth on 84.

Corinthians 0–0 Atlético Paranaense: Corinthians had seven shots, four on target; Atlético Paranaense had five, one on target.

Coritiba 0–1 Cruzeiro: Matheus Pereira, from Gerson's pass, scored the only goal on 66. Coritiba had nineteen shots and two on target.

The table

With 28 rounds played by most, and Vasco and Chapecoense a match short because of their postponed game:

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Flamengo	28	18	6	4	+32	60
2	Palmeiras	28	16	9	3	+26	57
3	Atlético Paranaense	28	14	7	7	+11	49
4	Fluminense	28	13	9	6	+8	48
5	Bahia	28	12	10	6	+8	46
6	Cruzeiro	28	13	6	9	+2	45
7	Atlético-MG	28	12	7	9	+5	43
8	Santos	28	11	8	9	+2	41
9	Coritiba	28	10	8	10	−6	38
10	São Paulo	28	10	6	12	+1	36
11	RB Bragantino	28	10	6	12	+1	36
12	Botafogo	28	9	8	11	−4	35
13	Vitória	28	9	6	13	−14	33
14	Corinthians	28	8	8	12	−3	32
15	Mirassol	28	8	8	12	−9	32
16	Vasco da Gama	27	8	7	12	−7	31
17	Grêmio	28	7	8	13	−8	29
18	Internacional	28	6	10	12	−6	28
19	Remo	28	5	8	15	−15	23
20	Chapecoense	27	3	9	15	−24	18

Flamengo lead Palmeiras by three points. After this weekend's wins Atlético-MG are seventh and Santos eighth, three and five points behind fifth-placed Bahia.

Numbers to know

• Gabriel Barbosa's two goals take him to eleven, third in the scoring behind Kevin Viveros of Atlético Paranaense on eighteen and Pedro of Flamengo on sixteen.
• Santos and Flamengo have won their last five league matches; Corinthians and Remo have lost their last five.
• Three goalkeepers made seven saves or more in the round: Ronaldo Strada ten for Bahia, Diógenes and Gabriel Delfim seven each.
• Two red cards in the round, both for Vitória against Palmeiras, three minutes apart.
• Five of the nine matches were won by a single goal, and two ended 0–0.

Next up

Round 29 is played on Wednesday and Thursday, 7 and 8 October. Wednesday night brings RB Bragantino v Mirassol, Internacional v Corinthians and Remo v Grêmio at 22:30 UTC, Vitória v Chapecoense at 23:00, Botafogo v Vasco da Gama at 23:30, and Cruzeiro v São Paulo at 00:30 UTC on Thursday. On Thursday Santos v Flamengo kicks off at 22:30 UTC and Atlético Paranaense v Atlético-MG at 23:00, with Fluminense v Coritiba and Palmeiras v Bahia at 00:30 UTC on Friday. Kick-off times in your time zone are on the Brasileirão page.

Sources for the context: Red Bull Bragantino via Metrópoles, Lance, Gazeta Esportiva.