Soccer-Gremio hit magnificent seven to go top in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 24 (Reuters) - Gremio went top of the Brazilian championship with a 7-1 away rout of Figueirense on Thursday.

Colombian striker Edixon Perea and substitute Reinaldo both scored hat-tricks, the latter in a 14-minute spell late in the game shortly after coming on.

Vanderlei Luxemburgo's Palmeiras beat his former club Santos 4-2 with all the goals coming in the first half.

Gremio lead the standings with 28 points from 14 games, one more than Flamengo who were held 2-2 by Portuguesa on Wednesday and have taken only one point from their last nine.

Perea headed Gremio in the front in the 17th minute when his effort hit the crossbar and went in off the back of Figueirense goalkeeper Wilson.

The former Girondins Bordeaux player pounced on sloppy defending to head another from a corner 11 minutes later before Cleiton Xavier pulled one back for the hosts with a penalty before halftime.

Marcel and Perea scored to make it 4-1 midway through the second half before Reinaldo replaced Marcel and plundered a hat-trick between the 69th and 83rd minutes.

The defeat left Paulo Cesar Gusmao in danger of becoming the third coach to lose his job at Figueirense this year.

Palmeiras stayed four points behind Gremio in fourth place after their win, which left Santos one place off the bottom.