Nine-man Atletico Mineiro extends unbeaten run

Sao Paulo, Brazil – Ronaldinho scored his fifth goal of the season in a wild match against Cruzeiro, as nine-man Atletico Mineiro extended its Brasileiro unbeaten run to 13 games with a 2-2 draw.

After Ronaldinho scored in the final minute of normal time, Mateus scored deep in stoppage time as Cruzeiro to secured a point at home.

Wallyson scored in 16th minute for Cruzeiro, and Leonardo Silva answered just before half for first-place Mineiro. Both clubs went down a man in the 58th and Atletico lost its second player two minutes from time.

Mineiro was in position to maintain its undefeated run with a draw, but former two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho scored in the final minute of normal time to put a win within reach.

Atletico Mineiro could not hold on through an extended period of added time as Mateus answered for Cruzeiro, which avoided its fourth loss in its last six.

Mineiro holds a one-point lead over Fluminense atop the table with a match in hand. Cruzeiro is 15 points off the top in eighth.

Goianiense picked up a 1-1 draw at Bahia in the other late games Sunday to run its unbeaten streak to four matches, and Sport Recife ended a five-game losing skid with a 0-0 draw against Nautico.

Also Sunday, Aloisio scored a hat trick inside 52 minutes as Figueirense beat Coritiba, 3-1, for just its third win this season, Luis Fabiano scored a brace to lift Sao Paulo over Corinthians, 2-1, Elano lifted Gremio to a 1- win over Internacional, and Botafogo tied Flamengo, 0-0.

On Saturday, Neymar scored twice as Santos beat Palmeiras, 2-1, to win for the fourth time during a five-game unbeaten streak, Thiago Neves scored a brace as Fluminense beat Vasco da Gama, 2-1, to extend its unbeaten run to seven games, and Giancarlo Da Silva scored a brace as Ponte Preta edged Portuguesa, 2-1, to end a three-game losing skid.