Botafogo, under Artur Jorge, eliminated Palmeiras, led by Abel Ferreira (4-3 on aggregate), in the round of 16 of the Libertadores early Thursday morning. The match ended in a draw (2-2) and had a heart-stopping finish. After winning the first leg at home, 2-1, and leading the second leg 2-0, Botafogo suffered an equalizer in the tie at 90’+7… which would later be disallowed.
With the aim of turning the tie around, Palmeiras started strong in the match and, still in the first half, came very close to gaining the advantage, but Argentine forward Flaco López failed to capitalize on a ‘poisonous’ cross from Richard Ríos.
In the second half, having to take more risks, Palmeiras opened up spaces and Botafogo took advantage. Igor Jesus opened the scoring in the 56th minute and shortly after, in the 64th minute, Jefferson Savarino scored the second.
As the match neared its end, Palmeiras ‘woke up.’ In the 86th minute, Flaco López headed the ball into the back of John Victor’s net, reducing the deficit, before Rony equalized the match in the 90th minute. But the drama was reserved for the final moments. In the 90’+7, Gustavo Gómez scored what could have been the third goal for Verdão and the equalizer in the tie, had it not been disallowed for a handball by the center-back. The match referee allowed for an additional 2 minutes, and in the 90’+10, Gabriel Menino, from a direct free kick, sent the ball crashing against the crossbar of Botafogo’s goal, to the despair of the players and fans present at the stadium.
Botafogo then advances to the quarter-finals of the Libertadores, with a 4-3 victory on aggregate.