Botafogo pulled off a huge surprise at the Club World Cup by beating European champions PSG 1-0 in Los Angeles. Igor Jesus scored the only goal of the match, and the Brazilian side put in a brilliant tactical performance at the Rose Bowl on Thursday, 19 June.
Just weeks ago, PSG had won the Champions League and thrashed Atletico Madrid 4-0 in their first Club World Cup game. But Botafogo did what few teams managed all season – they stopped PSG from scoring and walked away with all three points.
Renato Paiva’s team were strong from the first whistle. They packed the midfield and stayed solid at the back, stopping PSG from creating clear chances. The French side had more of the ball and spent time near Botafogo’s goal, but couldn’t break them down.
Players like Allan, Alexander Barboza, Artur, Jair and Gregore gave everything on the pitch to make sure Botafogo stayed ahead.
How the Match Played Out
PSG started fast and almost scored in the first minute through Kvaratskhelia, but after that, Botafogo took control of the game plan. Their midfield worked hard to block PSG’s attacks and kept them away from the danger areas.
Vitinha had little space to create chances, and Kvaratskhelia, although lively, couldn’t find the net.
The key moment came in the 36th minute. Savarino, quiet until then, broke forward and played a great pass through to Igor Jesus. The striker ran between two PSG defenders and shot. The ball deflected off Pacho and into the goal.
Second-Half Battle
PSG made changes at half-time, bringing on Fabian Ruiz, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, and Barcola. They looked more dangerous, but Botafogo stayed strong.
Despite the pressure, it was Botafogo who looked more likely to score again on the counterattack, with Savarino, Igor Jesus and Artur causing problems. However, they couldn’t find a second goal.
Botafogo’s defence stayed firm until the end. Goalkeeper John was only forced into one difficult save in the second half. In the end, Botafogo held on to seal a famous win and a historic moment at the Club World Cup.
