An average goal haul of 3.3 strikes per match graced the first three games as the Brasileirão kicked off into the third round of the 2006 edition of the Brazilian national league.
The two matches that sparkled – or fizzled, depending on your loyalties – more were the two 4-goal massacres of Santa Cruz in the big smog of the Paulista capital and Botafogo up in sunny Rio.

Morumbi was treated to a gourmet day as Danilo, Leandro, Rogério Ceni – in a state of grace that shouldn’t (yet probably will) be overlooked by Parreira – and Mineiro cooked the visiting northerners.

Botafogo will probably be stewing n their own juice after thinking that this year was going to be plain sailing. The Lone Star were steamed by a Pedro Oldoni hat-trick and Alan Bahia’s cherry on top.

Brasileirão Results (Rd.3): Saturday 29/04/06

Fortaleza 2 x 1 São Caetano
Goals: Leandro Lima (SC), Alan (F), Mazinho Lima (F)
Venue: Castelão stadium, Fortaleza (CE)

São Paulo 4 x 0 Santa Cruz
Goals: Danilo, Leandro, Rogério Ceni and Mineiro (SP)
Venue: Morumbi stadium, São Paulo (SP)

Botafogo 0 x 4 Atlético-PR
Goals: Pedro Oldoni (3) and Alan Bahia (APR)
Venue: Maracanã stadium, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Sunday

A Paulo Baier own goal added to the litany of woes currently buffeting the Parque Antarctica. The ex-Goiás Captain’s error cost the Verdão yet another home defeat and fans are now howling for something to be done before the ghosts of relegation start to haunt Palmeiras again.

Palmeiras 1 x 2 Santos
Goals: Gamarra (P), Paulo Baier – own goal (S), Reinaldo (S)
Venue: Parque Antarctica, São Paulo (SP)

Ponte Preta 3 x 2 Corinthians
Goals: Da Silva - contra (C), Iran (2)(PP), Rafael Santos (PP), Edson (C)
Venue: Moisés Lucarelli, Campinas (SP)

Internacional 1 x 0 Flamengo
Goals: Alex (I)
Venue: Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre (RS)

Paraná 5 x 2 Grêmio
Goals: Cristiano (P), Alessandro – own goal (P), Hugo (G), Beto (P), Lucas (G), Ângelo (P), Emerson (P)
Venue: Pinheirão, Curitiba (PR)

Vasco 1 x 1 Fluminense
Goals: Abedi (VAS), Tuta (FLU)
Venue: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Juventude 1 x 1 Goiás
Goals: Lino (JUV), Souza (GOI)
Venue: Alfredo Jaconi, Caxias do Sul (RS)

Figueirense 0 x 2 Cruzeiro
Goals: Luisão (CRU), Wagner (CRU)
Venue: Orlando Scarpelli, Florianópolis (SC)

Aaron Marcus