Botafogowith a goal from Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino, lost 1-3 Palmeirassingle-handedly regained the lead and took a big step towards winning the League title, with two days left in the championship. Gregore, in a rehearsed play in the 19th minute, and Savarino, in a counterattack in the 73rd minute, opened the way to victory for the Rio team, which now has 73 points, three more than Palmeiras, who finished with ten after the dismissal of Marcos Rocha in the second half.
Adryelson sealed the win in the 89th minute and Colombian midfielder Richard Ríos scored the goal of honor for Palmeiras in his 100th game in the green team shirt. The three points are a boost for Botafogo, who in four days will play the final of the Copa Libertadores against Atlético Mineiro at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The match was staged as a final and it did not disappoint. A duel between two leaders, tied on points before the opening whistle and two of the most expensive squads on the continent. And also a rivalry between two Portuguese technicians: Abel Ferreira and Artur Jorge. Palmeiras forced themselves to take control of the match, outscoring their rivals in the first quarter of an hour.
Botafogo, which went out with its vagrant eleven despite the proximity of the Libertadores final, started to get nervous after surrendering first place after nineteen days. The ghosts of last season, when they allowed themselves to go back thirteen points in exactly three months against Palmeiras, are waiting around.
Paraguayan Gustavo Gómez scored a goal for Palmeiras with a header that went over the post. Meanwhile, Estêvão, the young promise talked about by the English Chelsea, left his first glimpses: a hat, a tunnel…. Palmeiras was and felt superior. The Rio de Janeiro team’s problems were compounded by a muscle injury to Bastos, who left Allianz Parque in São Paulo on a golf cart. The Angolan center back is a doubt for Saturday’s finals.
Fortunately for the visitors, Palmeiras didn’t turn their dominance into goals and the scoreboard worked perfectly for them. They had barely gone into Weverton’s domain when a short corner taken by Alex Telles landed on the boot of Argentine Thiago Almada, who found Gregore inside the area.
The Brazilian midfielder didn’t have to be there, but he finished and scored. The goal will give a lot of talk, because the corner that caused it should not have been called, because the last to touch the ball was a Botafogo player. Palmeiras’ reaction was automatic. Rony ran at the post and John Víctor used his reflexes to deflect a header off Rocha’s foot.
After the break, the locals kept their spirits up with the introduction of Argentine striker ‘Flaco’ López, but they suffered from the same lack of goals. The hopes of the reigning Liga champions were dashed with Rocha’s sacking. The veteran winger reacted to a slight push by Igor Jesús with a slap to the Brazilian team forward’s face that sent him straight to the shower. Dismissal following a tip from VAR. It’s minute 70.
With numerical superiority, Botafogo ruled the counterattack through Savarino and proved the winner with Adryelson. Karat success and blow on the table of the ‘galactic’ project of the American magnate John Textor.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
