Goiás beat Botafogo 3-1 at Estádio Santa Cruz in the Brazilian Serie B regular season, round 28, on Monday night. The visitors took three points from a game where the hosts created more but didn't convert. By then, Botafogo had already slipped to 16th in the table with 31 points from 28 games.
Hygor gave the home side the lead at 18 minutes, a moment that kept them in the contest. Goiás responded before half-time when Jean Carlos scored at 27. The visitors then took control after the break, Tadeu Antonio Ferreira converting a penalty at 50 and Carlos Eduardo de Sousa Leopoldino adding a fourth at 56. Botafogo pulled one back through the penalty spot miss at 82 — Patrick Brey failed to score, a missed chance that left the hosts chasing.
The match brought seven yellow cards in total, four for Botafogo and three for Goiás, with Wesley Santos, Filipe Machado, Gabriel de Souza Inocencio, and Adilson dos Anjos Oliveira among those cautioned. Both sides made six substitutions each, with Pedro Junqueira de Oliveira and Morelli among the replacements for Botafogo, and Kelvin Giacobe·Alves dos Santos for Goiás.
Botafogo dominated possession at 45 per cent and registered 2.73 expected goals, yet only three shots hit the target. Goiás held 55 per cent possession with 1.53 expected goals but put six shots on target. The hosts created five big chances to Goiás' two, but the visitors got over the line with greater efficiency.
The result leaves Botafogo 16th, eight points from safety, while Goiás move to 12th with 39 points. Both sides come into this fixture having lost four of their last five league games, but the gap between them now widens. Botafogo never got out of second gear after that first goal, while Goiás managed their second half to see the game out.