Match report
Botafogo edge Cruzeiro thanks to first-half Justino strike
Botafogo secured a 1-0 win away to Cruzeiro in matchday 20 of the Brasileirão Série A, a result that lifted them to seventh in the table above their hosts, who sit ninth. The only goal came in the 41st minute, when G. Justino converted an assist from Alex Telles to make it 0-1, a scoreline that held through half-time and into the final whistle.
AI-assisted match report written from official match data.
Despite conceding the game's decisive moment, Cruzeiro dominated territory and chances, controlling 61 per cent of possession and firing 15 shots to Botafogo's eight, six of them on target compared with four for the visitors. Cruzeiro's xG of 1.52 against Botafogo's 0.40 reflected their greater attacking presence, yet they could not find an equaliser as Botafogo held firm defensively.
The match was disciplined but occasionally fractious, with referee Davi de Oliveira Lacerda booking five Botafogo players and two from Cruzeiro. Botafogo also had the edge at corners, winning nine to Cruzeiro's one, underlining their efficiency in defending set pieces despite being second-best in overall possession and shot count.
Warleson posted the highest rating on the pitch at 8.3 for Botafogo, while goalscorer G. Justino was not far behind on 8.2 after netting the only goal of the match.
Cruzeiro held a commanding 61 per cent of possession but were unable to turn that dominance into a goal.
Botafogo won 1–0 away against Cruzeiro (half-time 0–1).
Cruzeiro met Botafogo in the Brasileirão Série A (Regular Season - 20). Kick-off was Sunday, 26 July 2026, 19:00 UTC at Governador Magalhães Pinto. Referee: Davi de Oliveira Lacerda.
Team pages: Cruzeiro · Botafogo · Brasileirão Série A
Key moments
- 41' Goal: G. Justino (assist: Alex Telles) — 0–1
Starting line-ups
Cruzeiro (4-4-2)
- 81 Otávio Eleodoro Rezende Costa
- 27 G. Rojas
- 34 Jonathan
- 15 Fabrício Bruno
- 23 Fágner
- 17 Luis Sinisterra
- 7 Matheus Henrique
- 29 Lucas Romero (c)
- 11 Marquinhos
- 19 Kaio Jorge
- 9 Bruno Rodrigues
Botafogo (4-2-3-1)
- 17 Warleson
- 13 Alex Telles (c)
- 5 Nahuel Ferraresi
- 34 G. Justino
- 2 Vitinho
- 6 Cristian Medina
- 75 Huguinho
- 11 Matheus Martins
- 8 Danilo Santos
- 10 Álvaro Montoro
- 19 Arthur Cabral
Pre-match read
Over 1.5 Goals. League base rate: 78% over 1.5 goals On the other hand: Class gap (14 Elo points) — Matches with this rating gap ran −1.4pp vs their league norm at this line across 14,390 measured games.
Under 3.5 Goals. League base rate: 26% over 3.5 goals On the other hand: Class gap (14 Elo points) — Matches with this rating gap ran −1.7pp vs their league norm at this line across 14,390 measured games.
Over 2.5 Goals. League base rate: 51% over 2.5 goals On the other hand: Class gap (14 Elo points) — Matches with this rating gap ran −1.9pp vs their league norm across 14,390 measured games.
Both Teams to Score. League base rate: 57% both teams score
Cruzeiro to Score. League base rate: 84% home sides score
Home rated 1758 vs 1743 — 0.61 expected score Botafogo missing 4 key players Cruzeiro in stronger form — 2.2 vs 1.6 ppg (n=5) Home has won 3 of the last 5 H2H meetings
Model-generated pre-match read. Not betting advice.
About this match
On this page: the Cruzeiro vs Botafogo final score and result, goal highlights and video clips of every goal, who scored, starting lineups, match stats and the full match report from this Brasileirão Série A fixture.
- Who scored and when — a goal-by-goal timeline of the match.
- Match stats — possession, shots, expected goals (xG), corners and cards.
- Starting lineups and player ratings for both teams.
- Head-to-head record and recent form for both sides.
Watch the goals: goal highlights and video clips of every goal from Cruzeiro 0–1 Botafogo. Explore more on the Cruzeiro and Botafogo team pages or the Brasileirão Série A page.
Quick answers
›What was the final score of Cruzeiro vs Botafogo?
Botafogo won 1–0 away against Cruzeiro (half-time 0–1).
›Who scored in Cruzeiro vs Botafogo?
G. Justino (41') for Botafogo.
›Where can I watch Cruzeiro vs Botafogo highlights?
Goal highlights and video clips from Cruzeiro 0–1 Botafogo are on this page — open the videos tab to watch every goal.
›What is the head-to-head record between Cruzeiro and Botafogo?
Cruzeiro and Botafogo have met 10 times — 4 wins for Cruzeiro, 1 win for Botafogo and 5 draws.