Felipe Anderson Shines in Palmeiras vs Botafogo Match

Felipe Anderson scores a decisive goal, Palmeiras defeats Botafogo 1-0 and takes second place in the Brasileirão, closing in on leader Flamengo with 39 points.

You know when you're at a bar in Leblon and the guy next to you says Palmeiras can't win a derby? Well then, remember this: last Sunday (17), in the cauldron of the Nilton Santos stadium, the Verdão showed that when things get tight, someone no one expected shows up to decide the game.

Felipe Anderson. Remember him? That midfielder who arrived on the down-low, without much fanfare, while everyone was watching Estêvão and Dudu? Well, that's the exact guy who decided the most important match of the round in the Brasileirão.

The "Peace Game" Turned into a War of Nerves

Botafogo and Palmeiras had the famous "peace game" — all that talk about their legal battles being a thing of the past. But on the field, my friend, peace was the last thing on their minds. It was a brawl (in a good way) from the first minute to the last.

Botafogo started strong. Joaquín Correa had a chance that even my 85-year-old grandma would have scored. Mateo Ponte managed the feat of shooting wide while practically on the goal line. Weverton made those TV commercial-worthy saves, like something straight out of The Matrix.

Then, just when you think it's going to be another boring 0-0 game, Felipe Anderson shows up in the 44th minute of the first half. A counter-attack that not even Abel Ferreira drew on paper. The guy received the ball in the midfield, made a slick step-over, and put it in the corner. Alexander Barboza? He just stood there watching, as if he was in a movie theater.

Second Place Tastes Like More

With the 1-0 victory, Palmeiras jumped to 39 points and took second place in the Brasileirão. Now they're four points behind Flamengo, who must be breaking out in a cold sweat over at Ninho do Urubu.

It's that old story: in soccer, it doesn't matter if you play beautifully or ugly. What matters is winning. Palmeiras went there, faced a Botafogo that created a thousand chances, and left with the three points in their bag. Pure efficiency, a German style of scoring goals.

And you know, Abel's team didn't play anything special, either. On the contrary. It was one of those games where the fan complains and curses, but in the end, they go to sleep happy because they won. That's what soccer is all about — the result is what matters.

The Felipe Anderson No One Expected

I'll admit, when I saw the lineup with Felipe Anderson in the middle, I thought: "Whoa, Abel's experimenting." But that's the thing — sometimes it's exactly the guy no one expects who shows up to decide it.

The English midfielder (yes, he’s English, don't get confused) arrived at Palmeiras on the down-low. Without all the hype of million-dollar signings. But last Sunday he showed that soccer isn't played on Instagram — it's played on the field.

And what a great goal, huh? One of those you watch a thousand times on replay and never get tired of. Reception, control, finish. Everything perfect, with no rush, as if he were just kicking a ball on Ipanema beach on a sunny Sunday.

Botafogo Lost on Aim, Not on Creation

Now, to be fair: Botafogo played their hearts out. They created many goal-scoring opportunities, but they finished poorly. If they had been more accurate, the game could have been completely different.

That chance from Correa in the first half? It was a guaranteed goal. Mateo Ponte managed to miss inside the penalty area — something even I couldn't do on my worst day of a pickup game.

It's frustrating for the Botafogo fans, who saw their team create but not score. But in soccer, it's just like this: if you don't score, you concede. The law of soccer, there's no way around it.

The Pressure is Back on Flamengo

Now things are getting interesting at the top of the table. Palmeiras is putting pressure on Flamengo, and that can mess with the red-and-black team's mindset.

A four-point difference in late August? That's nothing, my friend. It's a matter of two or three bad rounds for the whole thing to turn upside down. Flamengo knows this — and so does Palmeiras.

What's most impressive is the Verdão's ability to win while playing poorly. That's champion DNA, right? That's what a big team does: sometimes it plays ugly, but it wins.

What's Next

The Brasileirão is far from over, but this victory in Rio de Janeiro could be a turning point. Palmeiras is showing it won't make things easy for anyone, least of all for Flamengo.

And the best part: there are a lot of games ahead. Copa do Brasil, Libertadores, Brasileirão... The marathon is just beginning. Who will be able to handle the pressure?

One thing is for sure: Felipe Anderson has officially entered the list of Palmeiras heroes of 2025. Out of nowhere, without fanfare, but deciding when he needed to.

Final Stats - Palmeiras 1x0 Botafogo

PALMEIRAS:

• Formation: 4-2-3-1 with Felipe Anderson central

• Ball Possession: 48%

• Shots: 8 (3 on goal)

• Corners: 4

• Fouls: 12

• Cards: 2 yellow

• Passes: 387 completed (84% accuracy)

BOTAFOGO:

• Formation: 4-3-3 with Correa central

• Ball Possession: 52%

• Shots: 11 (2 on goal)

• Corners: 6

• Fouls: 14

• Cards: 3 yellow

Passes: 401 completed (81% accuracy)