A kick in the teeth? (Alexandre Loureiro/VIPCOMM)

Ceará, the team from the state of… you guessed it… Ceará, beat Flamengo in the Brazilian Cup to reach the semi-final of the competition. They drew 2-2 on the night but progress thanks their 2-1 win in Rio last week. Pretty big upset this considering the difference in the size and cost of the two teams. They will play Coritiba in the semi-final, after they also caused an upset by beat Palmeiras 6-2 on aggregate. They won the first leg 6-0 last week.

As for Flamengo, they dominated the game despite playing 50 minutes with 10 men after Ronaldo Angelim was harshly sent off on 38 minutes. Thiago Neves has been their best player in recent weeks and scored both goals, one of them from a Ronaldinho pass. Ronaldinho was okay, but is still failing to live up to expectations since his big money move to Brazil.

I'm not a big fan (Bruno de Lima/VIPCOMM)

With the controversial sending off, the Flamengo players surrounded the ref at the end of the game and their ever-gracious (note the sarcasm) coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo went on to say after the game how he is a great coach and has proved it and the referee is useless and has never proved himself. Well, Vanderlei, what will you be saying in three months when you are sacked??!! Three months ago I said he’d be fired in six months and I’m sticking to my word.

The semi-finals will be played over two legs and are scheduled for the 18^th and 25^th of May. In the other quarter final matches to play, São Paulo travel to Avaí­ with a one goal lead and Vasco host Atlético Paranaense after drawing the first match 2-2. Those two matches will be tonight (12 May).