Botafogo Loses the Head, the Match and the First Place; São Paulo Leader

By: Bruno Romani | August 9th, 2007

At Maracanã, Botafogo and São Paulo played the most awaited match of this season so far. The difference between the two sides was only 2 points, and as the winner was going to grab the 1st spot in the table, the match was considered by the media and the fans as the first final of this tournament.

Botafogo went to the pitch without Alex, who wasn’t allowed to play due to a contractual barrier, and playmaker Zé Roberto, who was punished by Botafogo’s officials for persistent acts of indiscipline. On the other hand, the locals had Dodô, after escaping from a doping trial. São Paulo did not have the midfielders Souza and Hugo, both with cards suspension. The good news for the visitors was that Dagoberto was back to team, after an injury.

Forty eight thousand fans packed the Maracanã chanting for Botafogo. The tension and pressure on the shoulders of the home team were clear even before the match started. With the starting whistle, both sides showed lots of respect for each other, resulting in a general lack of chances. Better for São Paulo, whose defense allowed just 7 goals in 17 matches. This doesn’t mean that the match was less entertaining. All the fight was in the midfield. It seemed that at anytime something good was going to happen to one of the two sides. And the match got physical. Too physical.

In a violent move, Luciano Almeida broke the right leg of São Paulo’s right back, the Ecuadorian Reasco. Before that, the midfielder had hit Dagoberto and Leandro, but Carlos Eugênio Simon showed him only the yellow card. Reasco, whose right leg had been broken last year in his first appearance for São Paulo, will return only in 2008.

The match did not change in terms of creativity, and Túlio finally shot on goal for Botafogo with 3 minutes left. Rogerio Ceni easily saved it.

The second-half started with Botafogo willing to get a goal. With five minutes, Juninho with a header forced Ceni to make a good save.

After that the defense trio Breno, Miranda and Alex Silva took over the match and did not allow any other moves by Botafogo’s forwards Dodô and André Lima, the second top-scorer in the league. Muricy Ramalho changed São Paulo with 13 minutes, replacing Dagoberto for the veteran left-back Júnior. The change got Botafogo’s defensive system confused, and the visitors started to grow in the attack.

In the 18th mark, the play that made Botafogo collapse. Jorge Wagner took the corner-kick, and Alex Silva with a header scored for São Paulo. Coach Cuca took away Luciano Almeida and sent Adriano Felício to the match. But 3 minutes later, reflecting the highly nervous state of Botafogo, Túlio was shown the red card after kicking the face of Leandro while he was on the ground. In the 28th mark, Júnior, with a foul, stole the ball and passed it to Jorge Wagner. The midfielder passed it to Leandro, who fired it into the net. São Paulo was the new leader.

Showing its extreme coldness, São Paulo controlled the match until the end without too many problems. It seems that the club from Morumbi knows the exact moment to kill a match.

Playing a pragmatic football, São Paulo reached a five points difference from Botafogo. The paulista club has conceded only 7 goals in 18 matches, and as a visitor it won 6 and lost 1 out of 9 matches. Botafogo, on the other hand, not only watched São Paulo to escape, but also now Cruzeirois in the fight for the second spot. Also, Luciano Almeida and Túlio may be suspended if the images of the match are taken to the Desportive Tribunal.

Other Matches

Cruzeiro played at home against Sport and sent a signal to Rio de Janeiro: São Paulo and Botafogo should pay attention to the blue team. They’re growing and likely to fight for the title as Grêmio, Santos and Inter don’t confirm their status of favorites. With two goals by Alecssandro, who left the bench in the second-half, the home team won by 2-0. Sport played the entire second-half with 9 players, whereas Ramires from Cruzeiro was sent off with 10 minutes left.

Goiás continues to be an obstacle for the bigger sides. The club is in 4th after beating Atlético-MG by3-2 in a match full of penalties and mistakes by the goalies.

Relegation

In the lower portion of the table, Fluminense and Juventude produced in Caxias do Sul another horrendous match. The 0-0 tie plus the cold weather were the perfect for a nice nap.

Naútico Happy and With a Great Sponsor on its Ass: A Brand of Masculine Underwear

Naútico took on Figueirense to sleep outside the relegation zone. And the club from Recife did it. The 4-2 took Naútico to the same 20 points as Corinthians, but with two more victories. Naútico may be relegated, but its games are full of goals and crazy fans. Very entertaining to watch. (Ok, tonight the crazy fans were not very numerous, but a Wednesday night against Figueirense? Give them a break…)

Finally, Atlético-PR and Flamengo played an essential match for both sides in terms of escaping relegation. In the first-half, the two sides had two chances each. The home team scored one goal, through Marcelo, with only 2 minutes. 10 minutes later, goalie Guilherme saved the Atlético in incredible save after Juan shot on goal.

The second-half followed the same path of the first. Atlético waited for Flamengo in its defense to counter-attack. With 14 minutes, Atlético exchanged precise and fast passes close to Flamengo’s box that resulted in the goal that sealed the match. Atlético will sleep outside relegation whereas Flamengo is the second worst team in the table.

Somebody needs to tell Flamengo’s Obina that he looks fat and that fans are tired of seeing his ass being exposed due to the small size of his shorts. His team is already ridiculous enough.