Palmeiras edge past Vasco to keep pressure on leaders

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Argentine forward Jose Manuel Lopez scored a first-half winner as reigning champions Palmeiras clinched a 1-0 win at Vasco da Gama in Brazil's Serie A championship on Sunday.

Lopez gave his side the lead in the 26th minute when he intercepted an errant backward pass from Rayan and dribbled into the 18-yard box before calmly slotting his shot into the near corner.

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