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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Gremio took a step toward securing a place in the Copa do Brasil final by defeating Cruzeiro 1-0 in the first leg of their semifinal on Wednesday.
Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios struck the winner just before halftime when he capitalized on a fumble by goalkeeper Fabio to fire in from close range at Arena Gremio in Porto Alegre.
In the other semifinal, Botafogo and Flamengo played out a goalless draw at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Both teams were forced to play out the final 10 minutes with 10 men after Alex Muralha and Joel Carli were dismissed for violent conduct.
The winner of the Copa do Brasil qualifies for the Copa Libertadores, South America's top club competition.
