Deco: Brazilian championship still wide open

Deco: Brazilian championship still wide open

 RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Fluminense midfielder Deco has called on his teammates not to let their focus waver¹ as they close in on a second Brazilian Serie A championship in three years.

Fluminense will have the chance to extend² their six-point lead at the top of the standings when they meet Coritiba at home on Thursday.

Second-placed Atletico Mineiro do not play again until next Wednesday (Oct. 31) when they host Flamengo in a match they must win to stay in the title race with six rounds remaining.

"Everybody has been making calculations³. It's normal when you get to the final stage of the season and you are close to achieving your objective," Deco said on Wednesday.

"But you have to be calm and take it a game at a time. It doesn't get you anywhere thinking too far ahead. We are in a good situation but in football you can't go celebrating too early."

Gremio is third, four points behind Atletico and Sao Paulo fourth, another four points adrift.

The top four teams qualify⁴ for next year's Copa Libertadores, considered the continent's most important club competition.

1 waver   

n.动摇，踌躇，挥动者，烫发器；v.摆动，摇曳，犹豫，颤抖，蹒跚

参考例句：

• They are waver of flags and shouters of slogans.他们都是些摇旗呐喊的人。
• This caused them to waver in their faith.这使他们的信仰动摇了。

2 extend   

v.伸开；展开，伸展；扩大；加大

参考例句：

• Can you extend your visit for a few days more?你能把你的访问再延长几天吗？
• The examinations extend over two weeks.考试持续两个星期。

3 calculations   

n.计算( calculation的名词复数 )；盘算；自私的打算；推断

参考例句：

• We can exclude the possibility of total loss from our calculations. 我们可以在预测中把彻底失败的可能性排除在外。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He scored out both calculations and did them again. 他把两个计算结果都划掉，又把它们计算了一遍。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 qualify   

vt.取得资格，有资格，限定，描述；vi.取得资格，有资格

参考例句：

• I won't qualify until next year.我明年才具备资格。
• You must qualify yourself for the post.你必须使自己具备担任这一工作的资格。