RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 15 -- Two teams continued their respective undefeated streaks in the Brazilian Championship as Flamengo beat Ceara 1-0 and Figueirense beat America-MG 2-1 on Saturday.
Flamengo's win also continued their undefeated streak against Ceara in the history of the Brazilian Championship.
The game's only goal came in the 40th minute as Thiago Neves centered the ball from the lower right side of the field to Deivid who was at the far goalpost to head the ball underneath keeper Fernando Henrique.
Both teams struggled to mount their offense in the second half as Flamengo captain Ronaldinho Gaucho was expelled from the match alongside Ceara's Heleno for excessive physical aggression.
The win improves Flamengo's current undefeated streak to seven games, tallying four wins and three draws after Flamengo went ten-straight games without winning.
Flamengo temporarily improve to the third place with 51 points. The team's definitive standing after the 30th round will depend on the second and final day of play.
In the next round of play Flamengo will receive Santos on October 23.
Ceara increases its currently winless streak to four games, accumulating only one point in its last five games.
The team remains in a troubling fifteenth place with 31 points and runs the risk of relegation into next year's tournament. In the 31st round of play the team will travel to face Atletico-PR on October 23.
In the only other match of the evening, home team Figueirense came back from an early deficit to beat America-MG 2-1.
The visiting team scored the first half's only goal in the 36th minute when Rodriguinho slammed in a point-blank shot against keeper Wilson.
Returning to the second half, Julio Cesar scored twice to give his team the win and increase its current undefeated streak to nine games.
The player's first goal came in the 69th minute when he bent in a perfect free-kick from the upper right side of the penalty box.
Cesar's game-winning goal came in the 82nd minute when he cleaned up a loose ball at the front of the America-MG goal, slamming the ball past a defenseless keeper Neneca.
The win solidifies Figueirense's spot in the eighth place with 44 points. The team will look to improve its excellent second half of the tournament performance on October 22 when it travels to face a struggling Palmeiras.
Over its last nine games, the team has won three times and tied six.
America-MG remains in twentieth and last place with 24 points. In the next round of play the team will receive Gremio on October 22.
Day two of the 31st round will consist of eight matches, including host Palmeiras against Fluminense, Santos will receive Gremio, Botafogo will play host to Atletico-PR, Internacional will receive Avai, first place Corinthians will travel to face a struggling Cruzeiro, Vasco da Gama will host Atletico-MG, Sao Paulo will travel to face Atletico-GO and Coritiba will host Bahia.