Botafogo returns to a group stage of the Copa Libertadores after seven years of absence. This was defined after drawing 1-1 away against Bragantino, whom they had defeated 2-1 at home in the first leg.
The defeat in the first match led the São Paulo team to take the initiative in the first half, cheered on by their fans at the Nabi Abi Chedid stadium. However, their own mistakes and the defensive organization of the opponent led to the first 45 minutes ending without goals or much excitement.
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At 51 minutes, this situation changed with the expulsion of Damián Suárez from Fogão. The Uruguayan full-back, one of the new signings for this season, grabbed Juninho Capixaba’s shirt, who had gained the position, to prevent him from escaping alone. The match referee, Colombian Wilson Roldán, did not hesitate to show him the red card.
With one player more on the field, Bragantino began to approach the opposing goal more clearly. However, all attempts were thwarted by goalkeeper Roberto Júnior “Gatito” Fernández, greatly responsible for allowing the Rio team to celebrate that night.
The team led by Fábio Matías, appointed on an interim basis after Tiago Nunes’s dismissal, was, however, the one to strike first through a counterattack. In the 76th minute, Lucas Cunha stole the ball on one side of the area, in a play that the entire home team claimed as a foul, and crossed the ball for Júnior Santos to appear alone.
The forward had scored both goals in the first leg and four against Aurora from Bolivia in the previous phase. With eight goals scored, he extended the lead as the top scorer in Botafogo’s history in the Libertadores.
Ten minutes later came the reaction of the São Paulo team: Tallisson received the ball at the edge of the area with his back to the goal. With great skill, he turned around, shrugged off his marker, and fired high from a tight angle to level the score.
The match ended, and it was Botafogo who advanced to the group stage of the Libertadores thanks to the result from the first leg. They are the seventh Brazilian team in that stage alongside Atlético Mineiro, Flamengo, Fluminense, Grêmio, São Paulo, and Palmeiras.
