The unlikely hero was Cuiabano, who came off the bench to, with an opportunistic move, guarantee a favorable result for Fogão.
Victory doesn’t always come with brilliance and spectacle, but it’s worth the same three precious points. And that was exactly the lesson Botafogo learned from Ilha do Retiro this Sunday. In a performance well below expectations, lacking inspiration and many scares, the Glorioso struggled but found a life-saving goal in stoppage time to beat bottom-placed Sport 1-0.
The unlikely hero was Cuiabano, who came off the bench with an opportunistic move to secure the result and give coach Davide Ancelotti his first win in charge. The victory, though hard-fought, is crucial. Botafogo climbs to fifth place with 25 points and re-enters the fight for the top four. Sport, meanwhile, sinks even deeper into last place with just three points, the only team yet to win in the championship.
As the 15th round game against Grêmio was postponed, Botafogo now has a free week to work and will only return to the field next Saturday (27), against Corinthians, at Nilton Santos.
The Game
Botafogo entered the field with significant absences. Without Allan and Savarino, ruled out due to muscle pain, Ancelotti brought on Newton and Joaquín Correa. The team even started off looking like they would win the game early, with Arthur Cabral forcing goalkeeper Gabriel to work with less than a minute to spare.
But it was just a glimpse. The first half turned into an open and dangerous game for the Alvinegro. Sport, despite being bottom of the table, posed significant threats, especially from set pieces. Ramon Menezes twice rose above the defense and headed dangerously, scaring goalkeeper John.
The Lion’s best chance came from a Rafael Thyere volley that glanced just wide of the post. Botafogo, in turn, also had its chances: Joaquín Correa was denied by a great save from Gabriel, Arthur Cabral had a goal rightly ruled out for offside, and Álvaro Montoro, with a subtle touch, was also stopped by the opposing goalkeeper. The first half ended with the feeling that anyone could have scored.
In the second half, the lack of effectiveness continued, and impatience began to set in. Just three minutes in, Vitinho missed an unbelievable chance, sending the ball wide inside the box. Newton took a chance from outside the box and nearly hit the post. Alex Telles, with a header, also drew gasps from the crowd. The pressure mounted, but the goal eluded him. Santi Rodríguez, late in the game, had the ball but was denied by another great save from Gabriel, who loomed large as the man of the match.
Just when the bitter draw seemed sealed, an unlikely hero emerged from the bench. In the 46th minute of the second half, Cuiabano received the ball at the edge of the box, surrounded by two defenders. With a quick and clever turn, he found space to shoot a cross into the corner, giving goalkeeper Gabriel no chance. A goal of pure relief, which erupted in joy from the black and white bench and silenced the Ilha do Retiro stadium.
SPORT 0-1 BOTAFOGO
SPORT: Gabriel Vasconcelos; Matheus Alexandre, Rafael Thyere, Ramon Menezes (Chico), and Igor Cariús (Kevyson); Rivera, Zé Lucas, and Lucas Lima (Atencio); Chrystian Barletta (Matheusinho), Ignacio Ramírez, and Derik Lacerda (Romarinho). Coach: Daniel Paulista BOTAFOGO: John; Vitinho (Mateo Ponte), Kaio Pantaleão, Alexander Barboza, and Alex Telles (Cuiabano); Newton and Marlon Freitas; Artur (Santiago Rodríguez), Joaquín Correa (Nathan Fernandes), Arthur Cabral, and Álvaro Montoro (Rwan Cruz). Coach: Davide Ancelotti Location: Ilha do Retiro, Pernambuco
Date: July 20, 2025 (Sunday)
Time: 5:30 p.m. (Brasília time)
Request: 15th round of the 2025 Brazilian Championship
Referee: Flávio Rodrigues de Souza
Assistants: Alex Ang Ribeiro and Daniel Luís Marques
Fourth official: Thaillan Azevedo Gomes
Yellow Cards: Marlon Freitas, Montoro, and Matheus Alexandre (BOT)
Goal: Cuiabano (BOT), 46th minute of the 2nd half
Attendance: 11,609
Revenue: R$408,735.00
