Fred hat trick lifts Fluminense past Figueirense

Florianopolis, Brazil – Fred scored a second-half hat trick 0 victory at Figueirense on Sunday.

The Brazilian scored in the 47th, 56th, and 85th minutes, and Marquinho popped up with a goal in the 72nd minute.

Fred, who has found the net 20 times this season, sits two goals shy of league-leading Borges in the chase for the scoring title.

Fluminense sits third in the Brasileiro table with 62 points, while Figueirense is deadlocked with Internacional and Flamengo with 57 points each.

Botafogo dropped its fourth straight match in a 2-1 loss to Internacional on Sunday, and Flamengo was held to a scoreless draw at Goianiense.

Corinthians maintained its two-point advantage atop the Brasileiro with a 2-1 win over Atletico Mineiro, Palmeiras dispatched Bahia in a 2-0 road victory, and Leonardo scored the lone goal that helped Coritiba to a 1-0 win over Santos. Cruzeiro and Paranaense also played to a 1-1 draw on Sunday.

On Saturday, Felipe Azevedo scored twice in the second half to lift Ceara past Gremio in a 3-1 victory, while Luis Fabiano bagged a first-half brace for Sao Paulo in a 3-1 win over America Mineiro.

And Vasco de Gama kept pace with Brasileiro-leaders Corinthians, edging Avai, 2-0, in Saturday's final match. Avai is winless in its last five matches.