Itabaiuna hosted Botafogo PB in the nineteenth round of Serie C on Saturday evening. The visitors claimed a 2:0 victory away from home. Botafogo extended their lead at the top while Itabaiuna remained stuck in the relegation zone.
I watched the match from start to finish and the twentieth minute stayed with me. Lucas Candido received a yellow card just after that point, and itabaiuna were already controlling the tempo. Leo Pereira followed him onto the bench at the break after picking up a booking.
The game changed when Botafogo took the lead in the eighty-fourth minute. Gustavo found space in the box and finished cleanly. Itabaiuna threw men forward and left gaps at the back. Kayon added a second goal in the ninety-third minute of added time to close it out.
And here's the thing about the statistics. Itabaiuna had fifty-two per cent possession and twenty shots, ten on target. Botafogo managed three shots on target from ninety-three attacks and scored twice. To be fair, the visitors made their chances count while the hosts wasted opportunities.
The result leaves Itabaiuna nineteenth with seventeen points from nineteen matches. Botafogo sit top with thirty-three points, twelve clear of the field. The hosts have won four, drawn five and lost ten — a pattern that has not changed.