Diego Forlan and Clarence Seedorf both on target in Brazil

Clarence Seedorf lost on his debut (GETTY IMAGES)

Diego Forlan scored twice to give Internacional a 2-1 win at Vasco da Gama in the Brazilian soccer championship while Dutchman Clarence Seedorf was on target in Botafogo's 2-0 win over Figueirense.

Vasco went ahead with a brilliantly-taken goal by Jonas in the 22nd minute of Wednesday's game when he collected Juninho Pernamucano's cross with his back to goal, turned between two defenders and slid the ball into the far corner.

Former Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan forward Forlan replied from close range 11 minutes later after Andres D'Alessandro's pass opened up the Vasco defence.

The Uruguay forward scored from a similar position on the stroke of halftime from another chance created by D'Alessandro, his fifth goal of the competition, to give Vasco their fourth defeat in a row.

Vasco stayed fifth in the table with 50 points from 32 games, two ahead of their opponents.

Eighteen-year-old Bruno Mendes scored for the third game in a row to give Botafogo a 14th-minute lead at struggling Figueirense.

Thirty-six-year-old Seedorf added the second with a low shot from the edge of the area just after the half hour, his seventh goal of the championship.

Reuters