Football
ESPN staff 9y

Vasco da Gama, Santos, Atletico Mineiro and Inter win state titles

SAO PAULO -- Striker Gilberto scored in second-half injury time to help Vasco da Gama defeat Botafogo 2-1 and win their first Rio de Janeiro state title in 12 years.

Vasco won 3-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 victory in the first leg last week at the Maracana Stadium.

Rafael Silva opened the scoring late in the first half and Botafogo equalized through Diego Jardel in the 75th before Gilberto sealed Vasco's victory with a shot from inside the area in front of more than 66,000 fans at the storied stadium.

Vasco, which played in the second division of the Brazilian league last season, hadn't won the traditional regional tournament since 2003.

In Sao Paulo, Robinho's Santos defeated Palmeiras 4-2 in a penalty shootout to win its fourth state title in the last six years.

In Minas Gerias, after a scoreless first leg, Atletico Mineiro took home the Mineiro title on the strength of a 2-1 second leg win over Caldense. Former Manchester City striker Jo and Thiago Ribeiro scored for the winners.

And in Rio Grande do Sul, Internacional toppled arch rivals Gremio, 2-1, and took the tie by the same score, behind goals from former Villarreal forward Nilmar and Brazilian starlet Valdivia.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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