Botafogo took an important step, on Tuesday night (26), in an attempt to obtain its first Brazilian Championship title in almost 30 years. The Rio team defeated Palmeiras 3-1, at Allianz Parque, in São Paulo, and regained the lead in the competition with two rounds to go.
The black and white base now has 73 points, against 70 for the black and white. And he hopes to avoid a repeat of the film seen last season, when he came in first place for a large part of the competition, before ceding it to Palmeiras himself, in the 34th round.
The path seemed to be the same in 2024, with the loss of the lead in the 35th round, but General Severiano’s team reacted afterwards. And it returned to the top of the table at a crucial moment.
In the final two rounds, Botafogo will face Internacional (away) and São Paulo (at home) – before, on Saturday (30), they will decide the Copa Libertadores against Atlético Mineiro, in Buenos Aires. Palmeiras will face Cruzeiro (away) and Fluminense (at home), hoping to win their third consecutive Brazilian title.
On Tuesday night, the game did not flow in the best way for Abel Ferreira’s men. They even started well and had two chances, with Gustavo Gómez and Rony – the first headed free, almost without a goalkeeper, and missed. But they saw the night turn sour with a corner that they complained a lot about, apparently with good reason, as the ball seemed to have last touched Gregore.
Gregore himself appeared free in the area, after a short ball from Alex Telles and a low pass from Almada. “I wasn’t supposed to be there. I thought it was another rehearsed move. But I was happy”, acknowledged, smiling, the scorer of the goal that paved the way for the black and white victory.
The move changed the game and gave Botafogo confidence, but Palmeiras still had two clear opportunities in the first half. Rony, in excess of a throw-in charged in the area, hit the post. Marcos Rocha headed well after a cross from Estêvão and stopped after a great save from John.
The final stage was tense until Marcos Rocha was sent off, in the 25th minute, for attacking Igor Jesus. Shortly after, at 28, John hit a goal kick, Igor Jesus headed the ball from Caio Paulista and Savarino got in the face of Weverton to kill the match. Adryelson added a header in the 44th minute and Richard Ríos scored in stoppage time with a beautiful shot from outside the area.
