Botafogo proved South American giants are more than a match for Europe’s best at the FIFA Club World Cup as the Copa Libertadores champions stunned UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 at the Rose Bowl thanks to Igor Jesus.
PSG looked set to inflict another hammering when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia twice cut inside and fired just past John’s goal in the opening minutes but it soon became clear that the Georgian was PSG’s only real threat as Desire Doue and Goncalo Ramos were strangely off-colour throughout.
The Big Fire grew into the game, out-scrapping their more fancied opponents on an evening where Canadian referee Drew Fischer was happy to let the game flow, then took a shock yet deserved first-half lead when they swept the ball up to Jesus after tenaciously winning the ball back once again in midfield.
Jefferson Savarino’s pinpoint pass to Jesus allowed him to take Lucas Beraldo out of the picture with one touch then fire back across Gianluigi Donnarumma with a shot that nicked off William Pacho’s heel to wrong-foot the Italian.
Botafogo ended the first-half with more shots on targets than PSG and Jesus, Savarino and Artur had more chances in the second period against the unusually subdued and skittish Parisians, whose best chance was a goal for Bradley Barcola that was correctly ruled out for offside.
John and centre-backs Alexander Barboza and Jair Cunha became more and more important as the game wore on, constantly mopped up PSGs crossed into the penalty area and any of them could’ve won player of the match, as could right-back Vitinho who defended admirably against Kvaratskhelia.
And it was that determined rearguard action that cliched the win for Botafogo, their entire bench emptying onto the pitch at the final whistle to celebrate an unofficial Intercontinental Cup victory that could finally ignite the revamped Club World Cup.
Botafogo are the only unbeaten team remaining in Group B and they can advance as winners with a draw against Atletico Madrid in their final game, while PSG must avoid another upset against Seattle Sounders to ensure safe passage to the knockouts.