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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Bruno Henrique scored a hat-trick to help league leaders Flamengo to a 4-1 win over Corinthians at the Maracana stadium on Sunday.

The former VfL Wolfsburg striker scored twice in a minute before halftime and then again immediately after the break.

The goals were his 13th, 14th and 15th of the league season, making him the Serie A’s top goalscorer behind team mate Gabriel Barbosa.

Mateus Vital scored with a header to pull one back for Corinthians seven minutes into the second half but substitute Vitinho restored Flamengo’s three-goal cushion midway through the second period with a fierce shot from outside the box.

The win extended Flamengo’s unbeaten run under Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus to 21 games and kept them eight points clear of second-placed Palmeiras at the top of the Serie A.