Cruzeiro and Botafogo ended in a dramatic 2-2 tie during the 37th round of the Brasileirao at Mineirão Stadium, capturing the attention of football fans this Thursday.
The home side started strong, taking a 2-0 lead with goals from Christian and Matheus Pereira at the 14th and 50th minutes, respectively. However, Botafogo displayed resilience, cutting the deficit with a stunning header from Fernando Marçal in the 57th minute.
The climax of the match came when Alex Telles converted a crucial penalty in the 90+4 minute, securing a point for Botafogo.
Despite a missed opportunity for Cruzeiro just five minutes into the game when Jordan Barrera hit the post, the game showcased a series of tactical plays from both teams.
Fernando Marçal was named Man of the Match for Botafogo, contributing with a goal and strong defensive performances. Christian was pivotal for Cruzeiro, also scoring once during the match.
Coach José Nunes Alves Sousa Jardim deployed a 4-5-1 formation for Cruzeiro featuring Cássio in goal; defensively, William, Fabrício Bruno, Lucas Villalba, and Kaiki Bruno held the line; while Lucas Romero, Lucas Silva, Christian, Matheus Pereira, and Luis Sinisterra operated in midfield with Kaio Jorge leading the attack.
On the other hand, Davide Ancelotti’s Botafogo used a similar 4-5-1 setup with Raul Steffens as the goalkeeper; Vitinho, Fernando Marçal, David Ricardo, and Alex Telles formed the defense; Allan, Marlon Freitas, Artur, Jordan Barrera, and Cuiabano comprised the midfield; and Arthur Cabral was positioned upfront.
Referee Anderson Daronco officiated the match at Mineirão Stadium.
Following this draw, Cruzeiro remains in third place with a total of 70 points, while Botafogo holds onto seventh place with 60 points. Next up, Cruzeiro will visit Santos, and Botafogo is set to host Fortaleza.
Cruzeiro Substitutions
67’ 2T – Luis Sinisterra out for Eduardo
68’ 2T – Kaio Jorge out for Keny Arroyo
85’ 2T – Lucas Silva out for Walace
95’ 2T – Christian out for Matheus Henrique
96’ 2T – Matheus Pereira out for Yannick Bolasie
Yellow Cards for Cruzeiro
53’ 2T – Lucas Silva (Unsporting behavior)
66’ 2T – Cássio (Time wasting)
Botafogo Substitutions
52’ 2T – Cuiabano out for Álvaro Montoro
84’ 2T – Allan out for Newton; Vitinho out for Kauan Toledo
88’ 2T – Jordan Barrera out for Kadir Barría
Yellow Cards for Botafogo
65’ 2T – Jordan Barrera (Unsporting behavior)
67’ 2T – Allan (Insulting or disapproving the referee)
Red Card for Botafogo
56’ 2T – David Ricardo (Straight red card)