Flamengo keep top-four hopes alive

Rio de Janeiro: Flamengo ended a three-game losing streak in Brazil’s Serie A football championship with a 2-0 win over Joinville at the Maracana Stadium. Ayrton and Gabriel both scored second-half goals on Sunday as the Rio de Janeiro outfit posted their 14th win of the campaign, reports Xinhua. The five-time champions are now seventh in the standings, just two points behind fourth-placed Santos. The top four teams at the end of the season earn a berth in next year’s Copa Libertadores, South America’s top club competition. In other matches on Sunday, Vasco da Gama drew 1-1 at Avai, Gremio held defending champions Cruzeiro 0-0, Figueirense won 3-2 at Goias, leaders Corinthians drew 2-2 at Ponte Preta, Santos beat Fluminense 3-1 and Chapecoense routed Palmeiras 5-1.