Botafogo silenced Morumbi on Wednesday, after eliminating the Sao Paulo in the penalty shootout (4-5) after the 1-1 in the 90 minutes, and reached the semi-finals of the Libertadores Cup 51 years later, round in which they will face Peñarol or Flamengo.
Argentine Thiago Almada put the Rio de Janeiro side ahead in the 15th minute, but his compatriot Jonathan Calleri kept things the same in the 87th minute and sent this evenly contested tie between Brazilian teams, who had drawn 0-0 in the first leg, to penalties. Calleri himself, who hit the post with his shot, and Rodrigo Nestor, who missed the ball past goalkeeper John, missed and gave qualification to a Botafogo team that had not been in the Libertadores semi-finals since 1973.
At that time, the Rio de Janeiro club was led by Jairzinho. Today, it is dominated by the portfolio of the American tycoon John Textor, whose project is beginning to bear fruit: leaders in the Brazilian league and among the four best in South America. A cruel ending for Sao Paulo, who also missed a penalty in regulation time.
As in Rio, the fear of making a mistake prevailed among the 22 players in the São Paulo stadium, all decked out for the occasion. And it was then that Botafogo struck the first blow: in a bad clearance by Luiz Gustavo. The Venezuelan Jefferson Savarino rushed the byline and put in a cross that Rafael rejected, with such bad luck that it ended up on Almada’s head.
Alex Telles (Botafogo) and Damian Bobadilla (Sao Paulo), in a match action
With the advantage, Botafogo did not spend much time in the opposition box, but their verticality was a constant problem for the home team. Their play flowed. Igor Jesus dropped back to unsettle the centre-backs, Almada appeared between the lines and Luiz Henrique and Savarino were a constant threat on the wings.
Sao Paulo coach Luis Zubeldía quickly ran out of patience and brought on Luciano in the 36th minute for 18-year-old William Gomes, a promising youngster. Until then, Sao Paulo’s plan had been limited to playing long balls to Calleri. Even so, Luciano’s entry brought joy back to the tricolor. Bobadilla gave the first warning from a corner with a good shot that was just deflected by Luiz Henrique.
In that play, the VAR detected a handball by Bastos inside the area, intercepting a header from Lucas Moura. It was one of those controversial, involuntary handballs that are called these days. A penalty that Lucas Moura did not know how to take advantage of. The former Tottenham player put his foot in too much and the ball scraped the crossbar and went out.
Despite everything, the São Paulo team continued to progress in the second half. Finding themselves up to their necks in water did them good. Meanwhile, Botafogo allowed themselves to be dominated and counterattacked. Although they played with fire and ended up getting burned. Calleri, alone at the second post and a few meters from the goal line, made an unforgivable mistake after a cross from Luciano that wandered around the area. The Argentine striker redeemed himself at the last gasp with a header from the past, coming from behind and rising higher than anyone else, to equalize and take the tie to penalties.
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With nerves on edge, the two benches clashed in stoppage time. The brawl ended with the expulsions of Rafinha, who was already on the bench, and Roberto Junior Fernández, substitute for Botafogo. In the penalty shoot-out, John stopped Rodrigo Nestor’s shot and Matheus Martins scored his to give the Rio team the ticket.
TECHNICAL SHEET
1 – Sao Paulo: Raphael; Rafinha (d.75 Igor Vinícius), Robert Arboleda, Alan Franco, Welington (d.83 Michel Araújo); Luiz Gustavo, Damián Bobadilla (d.75 Rodrigo Nestor); Wellington Rato (d.83 André Silva), Lucas Moura, William Gomes (d.36 Luciano); and Jonathan Calleri
Coach: Luis Zubeldia
1 -Botafogo: John; Vitinho, Bastos, Alexander Barboza (m.60 Adryelson), Alex Telles (m.83 Fernando Marçal); Marlon Freitas, Gregore (d.83 Danilo Barbosa); Luiz Henrique (d.70 Matheus Martins), Jefferson Savarino (d.70 Tchê Tchê), Thiago Almada; and Igor Jesus
Coach: Artur Jorge
Goals: 1-0, Thiago Almada (m. 15); 1-1, Calleri (m. 87)
Penalty shootout: 0-0: Calleri, to the post and out. 0-1: Tchê Tchê, goal. 1-1: Luiz Gustavo, goal. 1-2: Danilo Barbosa, goal. 2-2: Lucas Moura, goal. 2-3: Marçal. 3-3: Igor Vínicius, goal. 3-3: Vitinho, out. 4-3: Luciano, goal. 4-4: Thiago Almada, goal. 4-4: Rodrigo Nestor, John stopped. 4-5: Matheus Martins, goal
Referee: : Argentine Dario Herrera sent off Rafinha and Roberto Junior Fernandez (m.92) for a second yellow card and cautioned Barboza, John, Bobadilla, Rodrigo Nestor, Marçal and Igor Vinícius
Incidents: second leg of the 2024 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, played at the Morumbi stadium in the Brazilian city of São Paulo.
