Vasco da Gama tops Botafogo 2-1 in the derby, rolling into Boca semifinal clash

There was a bit of everything at the Nilton Santos: goals, a shot off the crossbar, a game saving stop, and even a head coach sent off for running onto the field to celebrate a goal that was later disallowed. Vasco da Gama beat Botafogo 2-1 this Wednesday in round 29 of the Brasileirão, keeping its hot streak alive right before a massive Copa Sudamericana assignment.

The first half belonged to one team. Vasco did more, created more, and deserved to go into the break in front. The shots on target tell the story: four to one in favor of the Cruzmaltino. The goal came in the 27th minute, when Lescano met a Bruno Duarte pass first time to open the scoring. Botafogo had its only clear look of the half on a angled shot from Vitinho, set up by a nice assist from Ziyech, but Léo Jardim came up with a key save to preserve the lead.

Botafogo came out with a different mindset in the second half, pressing high to look for the equalizer. Instead, the blow came from the other end: 5 minutes into the second half, Colidio sent David in alone against the keeper, and the forward only had to tap it in to make it 2-0. It almost got worse for the home side moments later, when Sosa rattled the crossbar.

Botafogo didn't fold and pulled one back through a bit of a set piece magic: in the 15th minute, Alex Telles curled in a brilliant free kick to cut the deficit. The goal breathed life into the home team, which threw everything forward in search of the equalizer. Vasco nearly put the game away in the 28th minute with a goal from Thiago Mendes, but it was ruled out for offside.

The derby's most heated moment came in the 38th minute. Alex Telles whipped in a cross and Tiquinho Soares headed it home. Amid the celebration, Tite ran onto the field to embrace his players, something the rules don't allow. The goal was ultimately disallowed for an offside call against Tiquinho himself, and the coach, already sent off, headed straight to the locker room before the final whistle.

In stoppage time, Vasco still had a chance to seal it, but Gabriel Batista produced a remarkable save to deny a David header, and the score stayed at 2-1.

Vasco keeps climbing

With the result, Pedro Emanuel's side, which had been in good form before the FIFA break, moved up to 14th place with 34 points and a game in hand on its closest rivals. It's the Cruzmaltino's third straight win, pulling further away from the relegation zone in a week when the club also has to juggle another front: Vasco hosts Remo this coming Saturday in the Brasileirão, then travels to face Boca Juniors at La Bombonera on the 13th for the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal.