PASADENA — In a matchup for first place in Group B of the FIFA Club World Cup, Brazilian club Botafogo showed that it also has the championship pedigree.
Thanks to a first-half goal by Igor Jesus and some hard-nosed, dogged defending, Botafogo, the winners of the Copa Libertadores, knocked off European champion Paris Saint-Germain, 1-0, on Thursday night in front of a lively crowd of 53,699 at the Rose Bowl.
“I’m really happy about the victory. We were able to play a big match against a huge opponent,” Jesus said through translation. “I think this was a historic moment. The team gave its all and achieved the win.
“When I came to Botafogo, I knew my potential and I knew what I could deliver. We were able to defend very well. We’ve worked really hard to be ready for this.”
The win moved Botafogo (2-0-0, six points) into first place in Group B heading into Monday’s final round of group stage games.
“This win is dedicated to the Botafogo fan base,” Botafogo coach Renato Paiva said through translation. “I’m happy for Brazilian players and coaches. This is a day that will make everyone proud. This is our main victory. It was a win of us being ourselves, which makes me proud.”
PSG (1-1, three points) will conclude the group Monday against the Seattle Sounders (0-2) at Lumen Field. PSG will likely take care of the MLS side to finish with six points.
Meanwhile at the Rose Bowl, at the same time, Botafogo will face Atletico Madrid (1-1, three). A draw would be enough for the Brazilian club to secure first place. An Atletico Madrid win, would make things interesting. Both Monday games will be played at noon.
PSG hadn’t lost in any competition since May 3, and the French powerhouse had outscored its last three opponents by a combined 12-0, winning the French Cup and the Champions League final along the way.
It took Botafogo until the 36th minute to find a breakthrough.
Jefferson Savarino, formerly of Real Salt Lake, connected sent a long pass to Jesus, who outmaneuvered two defenders and thumped a right-footed shot that rolled past Gianluigi Donnarumma into the bottom left corner for the opening goal. Jesus leaped over a barrier and up onto the front row of the stands to celebrate with Botafogo’s ecstatic supporters.
In a tense second half, the equalizer that many expected PSG to score, never materialized despite good chances.
In the 51st minute, a free kick led to a close-range attempt by Goncalo Ramos, but Botafogo’s goalkeeper John was able to get an arm on the ball, keeping it away.
PSG dominated possession (74.6-25.7%) and the chances continued to come late. Just inside stoppage time, PSG earned a dangerous free kick opportunity, just outside the 18-yard box. However, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s shot sailed over the crossbar.
“They were very good in defense,” Kvaratskhelia said of Botafogo. “We know that they’re all very good teams in this World Cup. We respect all of them. We just have to play our game and today it wasn’t our game.
“We are a little bit not feeling happiness because we lost, it’s normal … you just have to be refocus for the next game.”
Ballon d’Or contender Ousmane Dembélé missed his second straight game for PSG with a quadriceps injury. His teammates still dominated possession in the first half, even though Coach Luis Enrique rotated his starting lineup.
Everything came undone with the remarkable individual effort by Jesus, the Brazilian striker who is reportedly headed for Nottingham Forest next season.
PSG finished with 16 shot attempts to Botafogo’s four – but all four were on target, whereas PSG only got two on net.
PSG kicked off its tournament with a 4-0 rout of Atletico Madrid at the Rose Bowl. Botafogo defeating the Sounders, 2-1, in its opener.
Atletico Madrid bounced back Thursday with a 3-1 victory over the Sounders.
“This Club World Cup is very intense and difficult,” Enrique said. “All the teams are motivated. They were best team to defend against us all season and were very efficient.
“We have to analyze what we did well and the thing that can be improved.”
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