体坛英语新闻：Botafogo stays undefeated in Brazil's Serie A

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Lucas scored a goal either side of half-time as Botafogo maintained its lead at the top of the Brazilian Serie A championship with a 3-2 victory over Coritiba on Sunday.

Lincoln stunned the visitors with a goal in the first minute at Coritiba' s Couto Pereira stadium but German Herrera set up Lucas shortly after to make it 1-1.

Coritiba goalkeeper Vanderlei palmed away a Marcio Azevedo strike only to see Vitor Junior fire in the rebound on 26 minutes.

A Lucas Mendes header from a corner again drew the scores level before Lucas earned his side a valuable away victory with a neat finish on the counterattack.

It was Coritiba' s first home defeat for more than 10 months while Botafogo now has two victories from as many matches this campaign.

"Despite conceding the early goal we didn' t lose our heads and we were able to regain our composure," Herrera said after the match.

"Coritiba is very difficult to beat at home and plays in a way that puts you under a lot of pressure."

In Porto Alegre, Andre Lima' s 71st-minute strike gave Vanderlei Luxemburgo' s Gremio its first win of the season against the Luiz Felipe Scolari-coached Palmeiras.

Defending Copa Libertadores champions Santos, without Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso, were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Sport.

Fluminense could only manage a 2-2 draw at home to Figueirense, Corinthians suffered a 1-0 away defeat to Atletico MG while a second half goal from Luis Fabiano gave Sao Paulo a 1-0 victory at home to Bahia.