Sport Recife Still Chasing First Win as Botafogo Aim for Stability

For Sport Recife, the 2025 season has been nothing short of frustrating. Sitting at the bottom of the table, they’ve come painfully close to victory on several occasions, only to fall short by a goal or squander promising leads. It’s been a tough road for Daniel Paulista’s side — only one goal scored in their last five league games, and a mere five goals in total this season. Their attack has been limp, especially at home, where just two of those goals were scored.

Despite their attacking woes, Sport has managed to scrape together a few home points recently, showing a glimmer of fight. But their record against top-six sides is damning — no wins, and they’ve been outclassed more than once, including a heavy 4-0 loss to Cruzeiro. The last time they beat Botafogo? That was all the way back in 2014. They’ve lost the last three league meetings and haven’t even managed a home win against them in five straight games.

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Botafogo, on the other hand, have been a picture of defensive discipline under new manager Davide Ancelotti. Since his arrival, the team hasn’t conceded a single goal — a testament to his early impact. However, their away form has been shaky. They failed to score in their first five away games this season but have recently bounced back with two wins and clean sheets on the road. That’s the kind of resilience that puts you in Libertadores contention, where they currently sit, just shy of the automatic group stage spots.

The match was always going to be about which version of these two teams would show up — the desperate but unpredictable Sport Recife, or the structured, efficient Botafogo. Injuries have plagued both sides, with Sport missing key players like Pablo and Ze Roberto, while Botafogo were without Matheus Martins and Jeffinho. Still, the Botafogo backline, led by keeper John, has shown consistency, and the lineup continuity reflects growing confidence.

In the end, this clash felt like a familiar pattern for Recife — a valiant effort but no breakthrough. Botafogo, thanks to Ancelotti’s tactical discipline, looked calm, collected, and in control. The game ended 0-0, but it was another missed opportunity for Sport Recife, while Botafogo walk away with a valuable point on the road.

Sport will look at this as a continuation of their winless nightmare. Botafogo, meanwhile, won’t be thrilled with a draw but can be content that their defensive solidity remains intact. If Recife want to avoid the drop, something has to change — and fast.

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