Fluminense wastes penalty, Botafogo scores with Victor Sá and wins derby at Maracanã

Every football match has a key moment that defines the winner. In yesterday’s grandpa classic, it happened six minutes into the second half. Penalty for Fluminense, taken in an inexplicable way – not because of the beat, but because of the penalty’s hierarchy – by Calegari. The popular saying goes that a penalty save should be considered a goal. At Maracanã, it was decisive for the 1-0 victory of alvinegro over Fluminense, for the Guanabara Cup.

It was decisive because, from the moment that Lucas Perri defended the penalty, the classic turned completely in the mood. Until Ganso rolled for Keno to be brought down in the area, control was all Fluminense, who seemed much closer to opening the scoring. Afterwards, it didn’t take long for Victor Sá to score the alvinegro goal in a well-executed counterattack that would decree victory.

Fernando Diniz has his explanation on why Calegari took the penalty and not Paulo Henrique Ganso or Jhon Arias. But it will not be able to change the course that the classic took. From the tricolor control, it is certain that Botafogo could have gone home with an even more elastic score if they had taken advantage of the various chances they created after opening the scoring. Merits for a tactical scheme that knew how to suffer when necessary, but also managed to control an opponent who was emotionally down.

Prior to the event, the first Rio de Janeiro classic of 2023 looked like a pre-season. Still far from their ideal physical forms, tricolors and alvinegros showed on the field a shadow of what they presented in the final stretch of 2022. Mainly technically.

On Fluminense’s side, the negative highlights are due to Yago Felipe and Germán Cano, the latter who is worrying. The Argentine seems far from ideal and on several occasions he was late in the plays. Far from the ideal rotation, he ended up harming the tricolor ball work by not being able to follow up with his moves. Arias, however, was the best tricolor on the field.

On Botafogo’s side, Tiquinho Soares managed to stand out in the area ball and in the pivot work. He gave work to Nino and Manoel, who saw good black and white chances being created in the slightest second of inattention. The problem is that the striker had little company to help himself. Vitor Sá, even with the goal scored, and Gabriel Pires did not follow his performance and left him isolated most of the time.

In a monotonous way and with few chances, the classic walked to the penalty spot. There, Fluminense had the golden opportunity. Those who don’t, take it. And Botafogo knew how to do it to keep the victory.