Botafogo kicked off their Campeonato Carioca journey with a tight 1-0 win against Madureira on Wednesday at Nilton Santos Stadium.
Amidst fan protests, Jeffinho scored the match’s only goal, securing the first three points for Botafogo in the tournament.
The team faced criticism from its own supporters before the game started, with banners calling for changes within the club’s management.
The match began with Botafogo showing dominance, led by coach Tiago Nunes.
Jeffinho, the first half’s standout player, hit the post early on before finally scoring at 38 minutes, thanks to Hugo’s assist.
Madureira attempted to retaliate with two solid chances but were stopped by Botafogo’s goalkeeper, Gatito.
In the second half, both teams experienced a dip in performance. Madureira controlled the ball more, while Botafogo focused on defense.
Nunes made strategic changes, bringing on Janderson and Júnior Santos for Tiquinho and Victor Sá, respectively.
Later, he introduced Newton and Segovinha for the underperforming Marlon Freitas and goal-scorer Jeffinho.
As the game progressed without significant improvements, Botafogo fans expressed their discontent, particularly with Marçal replacing Hugo.
Meanwhile, Madureira intensified their efforts to equalize. Rodrigão came close with a shot hitting the post at 32 minutes, but the follow-up attempt was missed.
Despite Madureira’s persistent attacks in the final moments, Botafogo’s defense held firm.
The match ended with Botafogo claiming a hard-fought victory amidst an atmosphere of both celebration and dissatisfaction from their supporters.