Cruzeiro appointed former South Africa coach Joel Santana on Sunday after Cuca resigned following a dismal start to the Brazilian championship.
The club from Belo Horizonte have not won any of their five matches, including Saturday’s 1-1 draw with city rivals America-MG, in the championship, having finished runners-up last year under Cuca.
Cruzeiro said Cuca, who had taken charge a year ago, handed in his resignation on Sunday morning, despite the club’s wish for him to stay on.
Santana, who quit Botafogo in March after 14 months with the Rio team, was officially unveiled as Cruzeiro coach yesterday.
“The coach’s debut will be on Saturday against Coritiba at the Aligator’s Arena in Sete Lagoas in the sixth round of the Brazilian championship,” Cruzeiro said on their Web site.
The experienced 62-year-old Santana coached South Africa in 2008 and 2009, but was sacked nine months before the country hosted last year’s World Cup.
Sao Paulo remain top of the standings on a maximum 15 points with a 2-0 away win over Ceara after captain Rogerio Ceni saved a penalty and 19-year-old Brazil midfielder Lucas scored a superb goal.
Ceni’s penalty save from Osvaldo midway through the first half ended Ceara’s dominance and Marlos opened Sao Paulo’s account before halftime. Lucas dribbled past Ceara Fernando Henrique in the 67th minute for the second goal.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Palmeiras are four points behind after a 5-0 rout of Avai, with strikers Kleber and Luan scoring twice each.
Flamengo — with an uninspired Ronaldinho, who came off to boos during the second half — held on for a 0-0 draw with Botafogo despite playing with 10 men for more than an hour. Champions Fluminense lost their second consecutive match under new coach Abel Braga, a 1-0 upset at home to promoted Bahia on Saturday.
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