Botafogo draws with Corinthians at Nilton Santos and lets the G-4 slip away

On Saturday night (July 25th), Botafogo , under the command of coach Davide Ancelotti, entered the field at Nilton Santos Stadium with the mission of securing a victory that would guarantee a spot in the top four of the Brasileirão. Their opponent, Corinthians , under Dorival Júnior, was looking to react in the competition. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that left Glorioso with 26 points, in 5th place, while Timão had 21, in 8th place.

Analysis: Wasted Domain and Late Response

Botafogo started with intensity and 77% possession in the first 20 minutes, pressing Corinthians with tactical clarity. The goal came in the 24th minute of the first half, scored by Arthur Cabral, with a well-worked play and precise finish. The number 9 reached six goals in the Brasileirão, solidifying his position as the competition's second-highest scorer.

But Botafogo conceded too much space after halftime. The drop in intensity allowed Corinthians to grow, and Memphis Depay equalized in the 79th minute, taking advantage of a cross into the box and finishing with precision. From then on, Corinthians began to dominate possession and create the best chances.

Botafogo draws with Corinthians at Nilton Santos and lets the G-4 escape (Photo: Vítor Silva/Botafogo)

Numbers that marked the match

Final possession: Botafogo 62% x Corinthians 38%

Finishes (both): 11 to 11

Corners: 6-2 in favor of Botafogo

Fouls committed: 14 (Botafogo) x 10 (Corinthians)

Home games this year: Botafogo remains undefeated at Nilton Santos (5 wins, 2 draws)

Brands and individual highlights

Arthur Cabral, decisive in attack, scored his third consecutive goal as home team.

Midfielder Gregore reached 50 games wearing the Botafogo shirt, being the team's leader in disarms in the competition.

The PK youth defender completed 10 matches as a starter, maintaining his solidity in the first half.

Post-match readings: what the coaches had to say

Davide Ancelotti acknowledged the good start, but lamented the drop in performance:

"We had a great first half, with intensity and control. But Corinthians grew in the second half and deserved the draw. We need to maintain this level for the rest of the 90 minutes."

On Corinthians' side, Dorival Júnior saw the draw as an important reaction in a game without dominance:

"The team grew and knew how to take advantage of the spaces. Drawing here was important for our confidence to remain strong."

Who is on the front line of the clubs

Botafogo: coach Davide Ancelotti, captain Marlon Freitas

Corinthians: coach Dorival Júnior, captain Ángel Romero

Next steps: obstacle and reaction

With the draw, Botafogo is now two points behind the top four and needs to react in the next round—their next match is away against Goiás. Corinthians, meanwhile, is looking to maintain its recovery trajectory, but knows the urgency of a comeback in the championship.

For the black and white fans, the feeling remains that victory slipped away. Technical and territorial dominance wasn't enough to prevent a stumble against a historic rival. If the Glorioso wants to fight for the title, it needs to show more determination in the decisive moments.