Palmeiras defeats Coritiba to win Copa do Brasil
July 12th, 2012 - 9:35 pm ICT by IANSRio de Janeiro, July 12 (IANS) Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Palmeiras won the Copa do Brasil with a 3-1 aggregate victory in the final over Coritiba.
Having lost last week’s first leg 0-2, Coritiba opened the scoring at its Couto Pereira Stadium via a curling Ayrton free-kick into the top corner, reported Xinhua.
But Palmeiras equalized four minutes later when Betinho deflected in Marcos Assuncao’s 65th-minute cross.
Scolari, who coached Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning team, did not hide his emotion after the final whistle.
The 63-year-old’s position had been called into question following Palmeiras’ poor start to the Brazilian Serie A season.
“This group won because it has the spirit of a champion, it fights like a champion and has the strength of a champion,” a jubilant Scolari said.
Midfielder Jorge Valdivia, who missed Wednesday’s match after being sent off in the first leg, said the team owed the victory to Scolari.
“Everybody deserves this but nobody more so than the coach for everything he has been through,” Valdivia said.
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Tags: aggregate victory, assuncao, brasil rio de janeiro, brazilian serie, coritiba, curling, emotion, four minutes, free kick, jorge valdivia, luiz felipe scolari, match, midfielder, palmeiras, rio de janeiro, spirit of a champion, whistle, winning team, world cup, xinhua