RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Sao Paulo consolidated their place at the top of the Brazilian Serie A standings at the season's halfway point with a 2-0 victory over Chapecoense on Sunday.

Shaylon struck in the third minute at the Morumbi Stadium before Hudson Rodrigues doubled the hosts' lead seven minutes from time.

The result marked Sao Paulo's fourth straight victory and gave them a three-point lead over second-placed Internacional after 19 matches.

Meanwhile Flamengo dropped to third in the 20-team standings, four points adrift of the top, following a 3-0 away defeat to relegation stragglers Atletico Paranaense. Pablo Teixeira, Raphael Veiga and Jose Almeida were on target for the hosts, who rose to 18th with 18 points.

In other matches on Sunday, Internacional secured a 1-0 home win over Parana, Palmeiras won 3-0 at Vitoria, Atletico Mineiro defeated Botafogo 3-1 away, Bahia drew 1-1 at Cruzeiro and Fluminense drew 0-0 at America Mineiro.?