SAO JOAO DEL REI, Brazil (Interstat) — Sao Joao del Rei built an early lead, withstood a Novo Esporte comeback and pulled away for a 5-2 victory in a global football match on Friday. Sao Joao del Rei scored in the third and eighth minutes. Novo Esporte answered in the ninth minute, then tied the game in the 59th. Sao Joao del Rei went back in front in the 70th, added another goal in the 77th and closed the scoring in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The home side improved its competition record to 3-1 and its overall record to 3-1. Novo Esporte fell to 2-1-1 in the competition and 2-1-1 across all competitions. Sao Joao del Rei controlled the closing stretch after the visitors had briefly leveled the match. The result gave the home team its third win of the season in the competition. Five of the seven goals came after halftime.