体坛英语新闻：Felipe Melo sees red as Palmeiras stumble

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Veteran striker Gilberto Oliveira converted two second-half penalties as Bahia earned a 2-2 draw at Palmeiras in Brazil's Serie A championship on Sunday.

Playmaker Dudu gave the hosts an early lead but the defending champions were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of halftime when former Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo was shown a straight red card for a violent tackle on Lucca Borges.

Oliveira equalized from the spot after a Diogo Barbosa handball but the visitors went ahead again via a close-range Dudu goal.

Bahia made it 2-2 in the 85th minute as Oliveira again held his nerve from the penalty spot after Luan Garcia brought down Arthur Caike.

Palmeiras have now gone five matches without a league win since the competition resumed after a month-long recess for the Copa America.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's team are second in the standings with 29 points from 14 matches, three points behind Santos. Bahia are 10th, 12 points off the pace.

In other matches on Sunday, Internacional and Corinthians played out a goalless draw in Porto Alegre, Botafogo won 2-1 at home to Athletico Paranaense, Cruzeiro drew 2-2 at Avai and Vasco da Gama won 1-0 at Goias.