Author: Vishwajit Sawant
Defensa y Justicia (Arg) – Botafogo RJ (Bra) – 2:1
After an impressive run of 19 games unbeaten, Botafogo suffered a disappointing defeat, going down 2-1 to Defensa y Justicia in the quarter-finals of the South American Cup. The match, played on Wednesday, put an end to Botafogo’s remarkable run, as the Argentinian side took advantage of home advantage to secure a place in the next round of the competition.
The contest began with a determined Defensa y Justicia taking control early on, and their efforts paid off in the 15th minute when Nicolás Fernández scored the second goal, exploiting the Botafogo team’s defensive vulnerabilities. The goal gave the Argentinians a crucial lead and put the Brazilian team at a disadvantage.
However, Botafogo showed resilience and managed to equalize the game in the final moments of the first half. Lucas Fernandes took a free-kick, the ball hit the crossbar, bounced off the Bologna goalkeeper and barely crossed the goal line before a defender interfered. The intervention of the VAR confirmed the legitimacy of the equalizer, breathing new life into Botafogo’s aspirations.
In the second half, Defensa y Justicia regained the lead, once again with Nicolás Fernández’s fine finish in the 72nd minute. The striker’s well disallowed goal proved insurmountable for Botafogo, who were unable to repeat their earlier comeback. In the 79th minute, Gabriel had the chance to “bring Botafogo back”, but his shot under the crossbar was deflected for a corner by Enrique Bologna. Note that Botafogo won US$2.8 million in prize money in this Copa Sudamericana draw.
With this victory, Defensa y Justicia now await the result of the clash between São Paulo and LDU, scheduled for Thursday at the Morumbi Stadium. The Ecuadorian side currently have a 2-1 lead from the first leg, which makes the next match decisive for both teams.