A team fighting relegation dismantled a clear favorite
No coração de Santa Catarina, uma equipe que luta para não cair encontrou forças para derrubar um dos favoritos ao título. A Chapecoense, modesta na tabela do Brasileirão, eliminou o Botafogo da Copa do Brasil com uma vitória de 2 a 0 que revela algo perene no futebol: a competição de mata-mata nivela ambições e expõe fragilidades que a grandeza do nome não consegue esconder. Mais um gigante cai, e a Copa do Brasil segue seu curso imprevisível, fiel à sua tradição de subverter hierarquias.
- A Chapecoense, virtual rebaixada no Brasileirão, precisava reverter uma desvantagem de 1 a 0 diante de um Botafogo que chegou à Arena Condá como franco favorito ao título.
- Marcinho — ex-jogador justamente do Botafogo — abriu o placar com um chute preciso no canto, e Bolasie ampliou de cabeça antes do intervalo, transformando a partida em sentido único.
- No segundo tempo, o desespero tomou conta do Botafogo: ondas de ataque, chances desperdiçadas e um jovem panamenho de 18 anos que mandou a bola para fora quando poderia ter reacendido a esperança.
- O goleiro Anderson Paixão foi o guardião da classificação, com oito defesas e 2,43 gols esperados evitados, blindando a vantagem até o apito final.
- Botafogo se junta a São Paulo e Bahia na lista de gigantes eliminados na quinta fase, enquanto a Chapecoense avança às oitavas em um dos feitos mais improváveis da competição.
A Copa do Brasil voltou a confirmar sua vocação para o imprevisível. Na noite de quinta-feira, na Arena Condá, a Chapecoense — clube que enfrenta o risco real de rebaixamento no Brasileirão — eliminou o Botafogo com uma vitória de 2 a 0 que apagou a desvantagem do jogo de ida e mandou o time carioca para casa ao lado de outros gigantes caídos, como São Paulo e Bahia.
A partida ganhou vida aos 19 minutos, quando Marcinho, ex-jogador do próprio Botafogo, acertou um chute no canto do goleiro Neto. O gol desbloqueou a Chapecoense, que passou a ditar o ritmo ofensivo. Pouco antes do intervalo, Everton encontrou Bolasie livre na área, e o ponta completou de cabeça com precisão cirúrgica. Com dois gols de vantagem no agregado, a classificação estava encaminhada.
No segundo tempo, a Chapecoense administrou com maturidade, enquanto o Botafogo se lançava ao ataque em busca de uma reação. As chances existiram — a mais clara delas desperdiçada pelo jovem panamenho Kadir, de 18 anos, que mandou para fora quando o gol parecia à vista. O goleiro Anderson Paixão foi decisivo, com oito defesas e uma atuação avaliada em 9.1, impedindo que o placar fosse diferente.
Do outro lado, o Botafogo pagou caro pelas fragilidades defensivas, com o zagueiro Alexander Barboza comprometido nos dois gols sofridos. Para o clube carioca, encerra-se o sonho de um título inédito na competição. Para a Chapecoense, abre-se uma página improvável: as oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil, conquistadas por um time que, em maio, ainda briga para não cair.
The Copa do Brasil has become a tournament of upsets, and on Thursday night in Santa Catarina, another giant fell. Chapecoense, a team fighting relegation in Brazil's top division, dismantled Botafogo 2-0 at the Arena Condá to advance to the quarterfinals and eliminate a club that had arrived as the clear favorite. The victory erased Botafogo's 1-0 advantage from the first leg at home, sending the Rio de Janeiro side out of the competition and into the company of other fallen heavyweights like São Paulo and Bahia, both eliminated in the same round.
The match turned decisively in the opening half. For the first nineteen minutes, play was sluggish and unremarkable. Then Marcinho, a former Botafogo player himself, collected the ball outside the penalty area and struck it cleanly into the far corner past goalkeeper Neto. The goal seemed to unlock something in Chapecoense's approach. From that point forward, they controlled the offensive rhythm, creating space and opportunity. The second goal arrived just before halftime when Everton found Bolasie unmarked on the right side of the box, and the winger's header was precise and unstoppable. Two goals up, Chapecoense had effectively secured passage to the next round.
The second half unfolded as a study in game management. With a two-goal cushion already guaranteeing advancement, Chapecoense slowed the tempo deliberately, eating clock and limiting Botafogo's rhythm. Yet as the match wore on, desperation began to overtake the visitors. Botafogo mounted wave after wave of attack, creating genuine chances to pull back into the tie. An eighteen-year-old Panamanian named Kadir had perhaps the clearest opportunity late in the match—a chance that could have forced extra time—but he misfired and sent the ball wide.
The difference between the teams ultimately came down to execution and composure. Chapecoense's goalkeeper Anderson Paixão made eight saves, including seven from shots inside the box, and his performance in the closing stages proved decisive. He recorded a rating of 9.1 and prevented 2.43 expected goals. On the other side, Botafogo's defense looked fragile throughout. Defender Alexander Barboza struggled particularly in both goals conceded, offering little resistance and allowing dangerous plays to develop in front of him.
For Botafogo, the loss represents the end of a dream for an unprecedented Copa do Brasil title. The club had invested heavily and arrived at this stage as one of the tournament favorites. Instead, they depart alongside other traditional powers, victims of a competition that has proven ruthless to the established order. Chapecoense, meanwhile, moves forward to the quarterfinals—a remarkable achievement for a club that entered May fighting for its survival in the Brasileirão.
Citações Notáveis
Chapecoense goalkeeper Anderson Paixão made eight saves with a 9.1 rating, preventing 2.43 expected goals— Match statistics
A Conversa do Hearth Outra perspectiva sobre a história
How does a team that's virtually relegated manage to eliminate a favorite like Botafogo?
Chapecoense came in with nothing to lose. Botafogo carried the weight of expectation, the burden of being favored. Sometimes that's enough.
The goals came early and late in the first half. Was that the whole match?
Essentially, yes. Once Marcinho scored, Chapecoense found their rhythm. They dominated the space after that. The second goal before halftime—that was the match decided.
Botafogo had chances in the second half. Why couldn't they convert?
Desperation doesn't always translate to precision. They created opportunities, real ones, but they couldn't finish. Kadir's miss late on—that was the moment. If that goes in, everything changes.
What about the goalkeeper? Anderson Paixão seems to have been crucial.
He was the difference. Eight saves, most of them in the final stretch when Botafogo was throwing everything forward. He kept the clean sheet intact when it mattered most.
Does this say something about the Copa do Brasil itself?
It's a tournament that doesn't care about your league position or your budget. Chapecoense proved that on Thursday. The favorites keep falling.