Botafogo pulled off a stunning 1-0 victory over UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain in their FIFA Club World Cup group stage clash at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, USA, on Thursday, with Igor Jesus once again playing the hero.
The Brazilian side, winners of the Copa Libertadores, moved to the top of the group with back-to-back wins, while PSG suffered their first defeat of the tournament.
Jesus, who also netted the winner in Botafogo’s opening 2-1 triumph against Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders, delivered again when it mattered most.
Heading into the tournament, PSG was widely tipped as one of the frontrunners for the 32-team competition, especially after their emphatic 5-0 thrashing of Inter Milan in the Champions League final just last month.
However, their bid to become the first team to secure a last-16 spot was derailed by a gritty and disciplined Botafogo side from Rio de Janeiro.
PSG looked sharp early on, nearly striking within the opening moments. Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia forced Botafogo keeper John into action with a curling effort just two minutes into the match.
Yet, that would prove to be their best opportunity in a cagey first half dominated by persistent fouls, which disrupted the rhythm of the reigning European champions.
Botafogo’s engine room, marshalled by the trio of Marlon Freitas, Gregore, and Allan, executed their pressing plan to perfection, smothering PSG’s creative spark Vitinha and leaving him little room to orchestrate the game.
Despite PSG’s control of possession, it was Botafogo who drew first blood in the 36th minute. A moment of magic from Jefferson Savarino saw him thread a sublime through ball between the PSG defenders, finding Jesus in stride.
The striker showed composure and skill, sending Willian Pacho the wrong way before unleashing a shot that took a slight deflection en route to beating Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.
PSG dominated the ball in the second half, pressing high and spending much of the time inside Botafogo’s defensive third. But the Brazilian outfit held firm, closing down space and keeping their structure intact.
The result puts Botafogo within touching distance of the knockout rounds, with one group game remaining against Atletico Madrid in Pasadena on Monday.
