Inter, Napoli steal late wins

 RIO DE JANEIRO, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Despite its home field advantage, the Sao Paulo soccer team could not hold back the Santos offense¹ on Saturday.

 

With a 2-0 score, Santos eliminated Sao Paulo and advances to the finals of the 2011 Sao Paulo state championship.

 

After a scoreless first half, Santos returned to the second period and took control. Off a quick fast-break in the 61st minute, Santos star midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso lofted² the ball to a perfectly³ positioned Elano who proceeded to slam a header past keeper Rogerio Ceni and into the Sao Paulo goal.

 

The team increased its lead in the 72nd minute with a great give and go between Neymar and Ganso. Holding onto the ball long enough for Ganso to break through the Sao Paulo defense⁴, Neymar rolled a perfect ball off to Ganso who then fired a great ball past a helpless Rogerio Ceni.

 

With the lead, Santos was able to control the rhythm of the second half as Sao Paulo was unable to react. The result marks the fourth time that Santos eliminates Sao Paulo in a single-round elimination⁵ match in the last ten years.

 

The win also gives Santos a head of steam before entering the second leg match against Mexico's America on May 3 in the 2011 Libertadores Cup. Entering the match with a 1-0 advantage, Santos needs only to draw in order to advance to the quarterfinals of the continental⁶ competition.

 

In the finals of the Sao Paulo state championship, Santos will face the winner of the single-round elimination match between Corinthians and Palmeiras on May 1.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

2 lofted   

击、踢、掷高弧球( loft的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was lofted to a new job. 他升迁到新职位。
• They measured and lofted the remainder of the crop. 他们把剩下的庄稼过了秤并贮藏在阁楼顶层。

3 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

6 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。