Flu overwhelm Bahia to maintain grip on third

Fluminense consolidated third place in the Brazilian Campeonato standings on Thursday with an emphatic 4-0 home win over lowly Bahia. All the goals came in the second half - three from the penalty spot - as second-bottom Bahia slumped to their fifth defeat in 10 games. Fred notched twice from the spot, with Thiago Neves on target in between, before substitute Wallace sealed the rout with a third penalty three minutes from time. The triumph lifted Fluminense to one point behind second-placed Vasco da Gama and three adrift of leaders Atletico Mineiro. Also on Thursday, bottom club Atletico Goianiense picked up their first win of the season with a 3-2 success against Figueirense in another match which featured three spot-kicks. Caio's penalty put the visitors ahead midway through the first half, only for Atletico goalkeeper Marcio to equalise in similar fashion seven minutes before the interval. A Felipe strike 13 minutes after the break then put the hosts ahead and, although Caio's second penalty five minutes later restored parity, substitute Joilson grabbed a third goal in the 77th minute to secure the win. Finally, Coritiba and Palmeiras battled out a 1-1 draw - a result which kept both teams in the bottom six. Patrik's early opener gave the visitors the perfect start, but Anderson Aquino earned Coritiba a point with a leveller in the 67th minute. The home team had Pereira sent off at the death but held on for the draw.