🏆 Internacional draws Grêmio; wins Gaúcho championship after nine years
Internacional drew with Grêmio 1-1 and became the Gaúcho champion after nine years without titles.
Enner Valencia scored for the Colorado, and Wagner Leonardo equalized this Sunday (16), at Beira-Rio - Inter had won 2-0 in the first leg.
With this, Inter ended a streak of seven titles by Grêmio (the Tricolor had been champions since 2018).
Additionally, the Colorado extended its lead in the history of the competition. Now, Inter has 46 titles. Grêmio remains with 43.This Sunday (16), Grêmio even had more possession, but Internacional created the better chances.
The first half ended with 65% possession for the Tricolor, but with 6-2 in shots for the home team.
And the Gre-Nal, of course, had controversy. Inter players demanded a penalty for a possible handball by Lucas Esteves.
VAR reviewed the play but deemed there was no handball. Through its social media, Inter vented. Check it out:
Virou vôlei, professor? Depois de longos minutos, arbitragem encerra o primeiro tempo sem revisão no monitor.
— Sport Club Internacional (@SCInternacional) March 16, 2025
More efficient, Internacional turned chances into a goal - a great goal, in fact - at 11 minutes into the second half.
Enner Valencia took a long-range free kick into the TOP CORNER to open the scoring. It was his fifth goal of the season.
🦹🏿🇪🇨 pic.twitter.com/2Y9f6RqIjH
— Sport Club Internacional (@SCInternacional) March 16, 2025
Grêmio responded at 16 with Wagner Leonardo heading in. VAR validated it after an unbelievable SEVEN MINUTES of review.
⚽️ GRENAL: VAR avalia como legal gol do Grêmio após longa paralisação, contra o Internacional, na final do Campeonato Gaúcho. pic.twitter.com/dd4yCvh6oA
— ge (@geglobo) March 16, 2025
The image used by VAR to confirm the Tricolor's goal, by the way, is causing a stir. So, was it offside or not?
ah sim pic.twitter.com/vKVnXDLZnt
— inter kpop 🇦🇹 (@scinterkpop) March 16, 2025
Grêmio went on the attack, and the Gre-Nal heated up, including THREE mass brawls and a lot of pushing and shoving.
Aguirre (Inter) and Dodi (Grêmio) were sent off.
Inter, however, held on to the 1-1 (3-1 on aggregate) to release the champion's shout that had been stuck in their throat since 2016.
Featured photo: Ricardo Duarte/Internacional
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