On Sunday, Cruzeiro achieved an impressive win over Botafogo during the 18th round of the Brasileirao. The opening goal came in the 22nd minute of the first half, expertly netted by Christian. Matheus Pereira then extended the lead for Cruzeiro with a goal in the 40th minute of the same half.
Matheus Pereira was undoubtedly the standout player of the match. The Cruzeiro midfielder not only scored a goal but also made three attempts on goal, showcasing his attacking prowess.
Christian was also pivotal in Cruzeiro’s performance, adding another goal to the tally and consistently threatening the opposition’s defense.
Botafogo’s coach, Davide Ancelotti, deployed a 4-5-1 formation with John in goal; Vitinho, Kaio Pantaleão, Alexander Barboza, and Alex Telles forming the defense; while Marlon Freitas, Allan, Artur, Jefferson Savarino, and Álvaro Montoro operated in midfield, culminating in Arthur Cabral leading the attack.
For their part, José Nunes Alves Sousa Jardim guided Cruzeiro onto the pitch with a similar 4-5-1 setup, featuring Cássio in goal; William, Fabrício Bruno, Lucas Villalba, and Kaiki Bruno in defense; Lucas Romero, Lucas Silva, Christian, Matheus Pereira, and Wanderson in midfield; with Kaio Jorge at the forefront of the attack.
The match was officiated by Matheus Delgado Candançan at the Engenhão Stadium.
Looking ahead, Botafogo’s next fixture will see them visit Fortaleza while Cruzeiro prepares to host Santos in their upcoming encounter.
As a result of this match, the home side now sits on 26 points, occupying the seventh position in the league. Conversely, the visiting team remains at the top with 37 points.
Substitutions for Botafogo
45’ 2T – Kaio Pantaleão was replaced by David Ricardo
58’ 2T – Artur was substituted for Joaquín Correa, Alex Telles came off for Cuiabano, and Allan was replaced by Newton
69’ 2T – Marlon Freitas was substituted for Danilo, and Wanderson left the pitch for Marquinhos
Yellow Cards for Botafogo:
8’ 1T Alexander Barboza (repeated fouls), 8’ 2T Allan (repeated fouls), and 29’ 2T Joaquín Correa (repeated fouls)
Substitutions for Cruzeiro
87’ 2T – Matheus Pereira was replaced by Eduardo
88’ 2T – Christian came off for Matheus Henrique
92’ 2T – Kaio Jorge was substituted for Lautaro Díaz
Yellow Cards for Cruzeiro:
25’ 1T Christian (repeated fouls) and 15’ 2T Kaiki Bruno (repeated fouls)