São Paulo managed a 2-0 victory over XV de Piracicaba that kept them at the top of the Paulista A1 table after three matches.

This was the third successive victory in this competition for the club after they had finished the Brazilian Serie A with a defeat in the final match of last season. After conceding two goals in the last victory against Capivariano, it was important for São Paulo to keep a clean sheet and look forward to the upcoming tough clash against Santos.

Former Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano gave his team a 1-0 lead after 30 minutes while a penalty converted by Rogério Ceni in the 58th minute confirmed three points for the club.

São Paulo manager Muricy Ramalho was a happy man after the victory. He said that Fabiano making his presence felt in the match was not surprising given that the former Brazil international has always been about finding the back of the net. Apart from scoring, the 34-year-old also had an impressive game overall. He has now taken his season’s tally to 2 goals in three league matches.Ramalho is happy with the way the team is progressing under him, but he has eyed more improvements as the Copa Libertadores comes near.

TheCopa Libertadores campaign will begin with a match against Corinthians in the middle of February.”Luis knows what to do. Forward does not give just to make goal. I’m explaining this to him and the duck. You must participate without the ball, pressing opponents. When you are well prepared, he [Luis] yields. This goal he did today, he always does, because that diagonal it is deadly.It is important to get a competitive team. We are still thinking, we need to repeat over the team, we have to think in Libertadores debut,” saidRamalho.