Botafogo Beats PSG to Take Group Lead
Botafogo experienced a night to remember, proving that it's still Botafogo's time. On the stage where Brazil won the World Cup in 1994, recapturing the best of our club football against Europeans in recent years and providing a much-needed victory for the fans, the Glorioso held Paris Saint-Germain and, thanks to Igor Jesus, won 1-0 to take the lead in Group B of the Club World Cup.
The Glorioso reached six points, leaving PSG and Atlético de Madrid with three each. Botafogo will only fail to advance if PSG defeats Seattle in the last round and Atlético wins by a three-goal difference. A draw will see the Cariocas advance in first place.
A classic South America vs Europe clash from the last century
The game was reminiscent of old battles between Brazilian and European teams, vastly different from Palmeiras vs Porto, Fluminense vs Dortmund, or the upcoming Flamengo vs Chelsea. It was a clash against the best European team of the moment, at their peak, albeit at the end of the season (but that's just an excuse, isn't it).
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Botafogo faced PSG as Internacional, under Abel Braga, faced Barcelona with Ronaldinho. Vitinho was akin to Ceará in this match: he faced a creative, in-form striker worth millions. He wasn't perfect, but he was close to it, deserving applause for his dedication against Kvaratskhelia.
John didn't need to be a Rogério Ceni against Liverpool, at least not in the first half. But Allan was as combative in marking as Mineiro: Renato Paiva's decision to include the former Napoli midfielder in the team was spot on. He mirrored the rival's 4-3-3 and managed to neutralize the numerical superiority of Luis Enrique's team in the central corridor. Vitinha had little involvement in the game.
But Allan wasn't Mineiro at the game's decisive moment. However, Botafogo had a decisive striker like Paolo Guerrero against Chelsea. Igor Jesus delivered another impeccable performance: he held the ball when the team needed it, battled against Pacho, Beraldo, and others, and made the decisive move...
When Marlon Freitas cleared the midfield and found Savarino, Igor Jesus ran like Mineiro in 2005, or Gabiru in 2006. He received the ball from the Venezuelan amidst the defenders, shook off the marking, and shot low. Then he ran to celebrate. An unforgettable embrace. The Alvinegro showed PSG that it's still Botafogo's time...
Last Act: Resistance
The second half was about resistance. Botafogo had to withstand strong pressure from the European champions. It sent shivers down the spine of the Alvinegro fans when Vitinha took a free kick and Gonçalo Ramos managed a deflection in front of John. The goalkeeper showed great reflexes to parry.
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A tactical detail that made all the difference in the match, and continued to do so in the second half: as PSG advanced to the final third, Artur and Savarino didn't drop back into a 4-5-1, but stayed forward with Igor Jesus in a 4-3-3 to close passing lanes in the central corridor. Thus, Renato Paiva neutralized Vitinha.
Luis Enrique was forced to call in the 'cavalry.' Nuno Mendes came on for Lucas Hernandez, who had little forward movement to the final third. Barcola entered on the wing, and Kvara moved to the other side. The Parisians increased the pressure.
But it was difficult to get past Jair and also Alexander Barboza. It was a perfect match from Botafogo's defenders. And it continued to be for Allan. When Montoro and Santi Rodríguez got on another wavelength, Hakimi managed to advance more on the right, but the Glorioso effectively closed down the area.
The final minutes were breath-taking for Botafogo fans. But if Muricy Ramalho, Abel Braga, and Tite had a plan, Renato Paiva also had one. And he counted on 11 warriors on the field to defeat the champion of Europe. It's still time for Botafogo. From Rio to Paris...
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