Botafogo added another good result in the 2026 Campeonato Carioca. In a match held on Saturday night (24th) at Nilton Santos, the Alvinegro defeated Bangu 2-0. The goals were scored by Santiago Rodríguez and Alex Telles, both in the second half.
The victory consolidates Martín Anselmi’s team at the top of Group B, now with 9 points. Meanwhile, Bangu, who are fighting at the top of Group A, remain at 6 points and see the competition from Fluminense and Volta Redonda increase.
Advertisement
Decisive Second Half
After a first half with little effectiveness, Botafogo settled the match after the break. In the 9th minute, Santiago Rodríguez opened the scoring with a free kick that fooled goalkeeper Bruno. The Uruguayan was the technical standout while he was on the field.
In the 29th minute, full-back Alex Telles, who had just come on, extended the lead. He converted a penalty won by Matheus Martins, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way with style. Botafogo also hit the crossbar with Vitinho and were stopped by great saves from Bruno, Bangu’s best player.
Dominance and Continuity
The match statistics reflect the Alvinegro’s dominance: 71% possession and more than 700 passes completed. Anselmi’s 3-5-2 tactical system worked well defensively, allowing few clear chances to the Moça Bonita team.
Advertisement
With the isolated lead, Botafogo gains confidence for the rest of the state championship. The focus now is to rotate the squad and maintain consistency to secure an early spot in the semifinals, while Bangu will need an immediate recovery to avoid dropping out of the Group A qualification zone.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
Read the full article here
