Avaí surpasses Botafogo-SP, secures an away victory, and breathes in Serie B
In a crucial match where victory was imperative, Avaí managed to outperform Botafogo-SP. The game took place at the Santa Cruz Stadium in Ribeirão Preto/SP on Saturday afternoon (7th) and was part of the 31st round of the 2023 Brazilian Serie B Championship. With a goal from Gabriel Poveda, the Leão da Ilha emerged victorious with a 1-0 scoreline.
Each team dominated one half of the match. Despite playing away from home, Avaí started stronger, and Waguininho posed a threat on two occasions. In the first instance, the forward struck the crossbar with a powerful shot. Minutes later, in the second attempt, he faced goalkeeper Matheus Albino, who came out on top with a crucial save. After the hydration break, the home team came forward, but the Avaí players were superior and posed more challenges. However, it was not enough to find the back of the net.
Botafogo attempted to take control in the second half and change the course of the game. They had opportunities through Patrick Brey and Thássio, but both missed the target. More efficient, the visitors tilted the game in their favor after ten minutes when Waguininho received a pass from Giovanni on the right and crossed for Gabriel Poveda to open the scoring. Trailing, the São Paulo team made changes to exert pressure and seek the equalizer. Despite numerous attempts, they were wasteful. In injury time, after a VAR review, Edson Cariús was sent off for aggression, leaving the hosts to finish the match with one player less.
With this result, Pantera remains in the middle of the standings, occupying the 12th position with 40 points. Conversely, the victory has a significant impact on Leão, lifting them to 15th place with 34 points and creating a four-point gap over Chapecoense, the first team in the relegation zone. In the upcoming round, Botafogo-SP will face Vila Nova at the Onésio Brasileiro Alvarenga Stadium (OBA) in Goiânia/GO on Wednesday (11) at 21:30, while Avaí will play against Londrina at the Café Stadium in Londrina/PR on Sunday (15) at 18:30.