Former Manchester United defender Alex Telles secured a late victory for Botafogo as they defeated Chapecoense 1-0 in the Copa do Brasil’s fifth-round first leg at the Nilton Santos Stadium. Telles netted the winning goal in the 91st minute with a well-timed header from Vitinho’s cross. Botafogo now holds the advantage going into the second leg in Chapecó on May 14th.
Chapecoense struggled with only 31 percent possession and failed to produce a shot on target during the match. Telles, after scoring his first professional career header, expressed his satisfaction in contributing to the team’s success. The 33-year-old emphasized the importance of the victory while acknowledging the need to maintain focus for the upcoming fixtures.
Botafogo needs only a draw in the return fixture on May 14 to progress to the next phase of the Copa do Brasil tournament. In other Copa do Brasil matches, Gremio secured a 2-0 victory against Confianca, and Sao Paulo clinched a 2-1 win over Juventude. Gremio’s goals were scored by Carlos Vinícius and Amuzu, setting them up well for the second leg in Aracaju.
Before the match, Gremio honored Arthur and Pavon for reaching 100 games in the team’s jersey. The players received personalized jerseys and trophies from the club’s management as a recognition of their achievement. Gremio will face Coritiba in the Brazilian Championship at the Arena following their successful Copa do Brasil start.
