Botafogo’s comfortable advantage, which was already 14 points in the Brasileirão, is decreasing with each round with the leader’s poor performance in the second round. On a sleepy and uncreative night in Belo Horizonte, the Rio team paid dearly for their low production on the field and were defeated by Atlético-MG, adding their second defeat in a row and leaving them with “only” seven points ahead of Palmeiras (51 to 44) .
Without Hulk, it was up to number 10 Paulinho to guarantee the party at Arena MRV. It was the striker’s 20th goal in 2023 and his third in the modern Atletico home. Only the player scored in the newly opened stadium, as he had scored both in the 2-0 victory over Santos.
The victory leaves Felipão’s team alive in the search for a place in the Libertadores and lights up the warning signal in Botafogo, which was still coming from defeat and elimination in the Copa Sudamericana with 2-1 to Defensa Y Justicia before falling to Flamengo . In four rounds in the second round there are only four points added and a single victory. The team will seek rehabilitation on Friday, visiting Corinthians.
Aware of the dangerous approach of vice-leader Palmeiras, Botafogo entered the MRV Arena willing to recover the first three points wasted at Engenhão, in the classic defeat to Flamengo in the last round. With its main players, Bruno Lage’s team started at ease on the field and was soon startled by Júnior Santos.
Wanting to reduce the gap to just four points over their G-4 rivals, Grêmio (3rd) and Flamengo (4th), who have a total of 39, Atlético-MG had to overcome the absence of their star, Hulk, who was suspended. The strength of the crowd was the bet.
Under enormous singing from the stands and the traditional “go at them, Galo”, the team arrived for the first time with a free kick from Maurício Lemos, which Lucas Perri deflected and the ball even scraped the crossbar. The goalkeeper also worked on another free kick, this time from Pavón.
After starting to manage the ball and monitor the attack, Botafogo began to slow down. Tiquinho Soares, little used, started looking for the ball in midfield. The leader showed difficulties, but also didn’t give many spaces, which made the game ugly and without emotions.
Dissatisfied with the little offensive production, Bruno Lage sent Diego Costa, ex-Atlético-MG, and the aloof Segovinha to warm up before the break. At the same time as encouraging the team, the coach admitted frustration with the Rio team’s performance.
The coach opted for a vote of confidence in the attackers after the break, even with Victor Sá and Júnior Santos appearing little, but he was forced to change the goalkeeper for medical reasons. In pain after a tough clash with Alan Kardec, Lucas Perri gave way to Gatito Fernández.
The former holder soon worked well to save the leader by defending Paulinho’s shot, face to face, after a good and rare offensive plot with quick and first-time passes. Paulinho had another chance next, but he caught the ball weakly.
Lage’s patience ended when he saw the team miss crosses in the final stage and didn’t even finish towards the goal 65 minutes into the game. He called Diego Costa and Luiz Henrique to try to make the attack “wake up”. The Minas Gerais fans booed their former player a lot during the change.
It was only 26 minutes into the second half that Botafogo kicked its first ball into the goal in the final stage. Luiz Henrique hit weakly, into the hands of Everson. Lage decided to complete the changes in the offensive sector. Segovinha was another chosen one to try to save an apathetic night for the locals.
But only one team showed the willingness to seek the goal. And he wasn’t the sleepy leader. Even without great opportunities, Atlético were persistent, prowled the area and ended up winning in the 35th minute. Pedrinho’s long throw to Paulinho, who dominated and hit, the ball deflected off the post and went in for a great celebration for the miners.
Diego Costa still equalized for Botafogo when the team was already showing desperation and resorting to showers in the final minutes. But the attacker was ahead at the beginning of the play and the assistant noted an offside, confirmed by VAR. Botafogo never arrived and the party belonged to the hosts.
DATASHEET
- ATLÉTICO-MG 1 x 0 BOTAFOGO
- ATLÉTICO-MG – Everson; Mariano, Maurício Lemos, Bruno Fuchs and Guilherme Arana; Battaglia, Otávio and Pedrinho (Réver); Pavón (Patrick), Paulinho and Alan Kardec (Zaracho). Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari.
- BOTAFOGO – Lucas Perri (Gatito Fernández); Di Plácido (Janderson), Adryelson, Vicxtor Cuesta and Marçal; Tchê Tchê, Marlon Freitas and Eduardo; Victor Sá (Segovinha), Júnior Santos (Luiz Henrique) and Tiquinho Soares (Diego Costa). Coach: Bruno Lage.
- GOL – Paulinho, 35 minutes into the second half.
- REFEREE – Ramon Abate Abel (SC).
- YELLOW CARDS – Mariano and Zaracho (Atlético-MG) and Di Placido (Botafogo).
- INCOME – R$ 2.401.663,00.
- PUBLIC – 31,729 present.
- LOCAL – Arena MRV, in Belo Horizonte.
The post Botafogo loses the 2nd in a row, now against Atlético-MG, and sees Palmeiras getting closer in the Brasileirão appeared first in Jornal de Brasília.
Source link
THE NAIS IS OFFICIAL EDITOR ON NAIS NEWS