Botafogo secured a place in the last 16 of the FIFA Club World Cup, despite suffering a 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. The Brazilian side knew that keeping the scoreline within a two-goal margin would be enough to progress, and they managed to hold off the Spanish club’s advances. Atletico entered the match needing a three-goal win to qualify, but struggled to unlock Botafogo’s disciplined defense throughout.
Following a quiet first half, Atletico manager Diego Simeone introduced Antoine Griezmann in the second half, hoping to change the game's dynamic. The French striker almost made an immediate impact, hitting the post from a tight angle.
Alexander Sorloth, who had the highest expected goals (xG) rating in the tournament before the match, also squandered a key opportunity by heading wide from close range. Griezmann eventually scored late in the game, but the solitary goal was not enough to save Atletico’s campaign.
One of the game’s main flashpoints came just before halftime when Atletico had a penalty appeal following a challenge on Julian Alvarez. VAR intervened, and referee Cesar Ramos agreed it would have been a penalty.
However, a prior foul by Sorloth on a Botafogo defender negated the decision, awarding a free-kick to the Brazilians instead. Alvarez continued to impress with his movement and attacking intent, while Griezmann’s second-half involvement added much-needed urgency to Atletico’s offense.
Despite the loss, Botafogo’s collective performance stood out, with every player contributing to a resilient defensive effort. They now advance to face the winners of Group A in the next round. Meanwhile, Simeone and his squad exit the tournament, left to ponder what might have been if their attack had clicked earlier.
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