33,657 fans filed into Lincoln Financial Field this weekend to watch the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 matchup between two of Brazil’s biggest clubs in Plameiras and Botafogo, adding another chapter to a recently formed rivalry.
Tensions between the two clubs ramped up in 2023 after Palmeiras erased a 3-0 deficit to beat Botafogo 4-3 which would trigger the Rio de Janiero club’s collapse in the title race, and leaving the door open for Palmeiras to lift the trophy instead. Botafogo would get back at Palmeiras the following year when they were crowned champions of both the CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores and the Sêrie A title in 2024.
Because of that, Saturday’s meeting in South Philly was much more than just a spot the Quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup which is also set to take place in Philadelphia, the birthplace of America, on the 4th of July.
Botafogo hold off Palmeiras in Regulation
Despite Botafogo controlling a majority of the ball throughout the match, it was Palmeiras that looked most likely to find the back of the net in the Round of 16 matchup between two well acquainted Brazilian sides.
Palmeiras’ Richard Rios fooled half of Lincoln Financial Field when he looked to have found the back of the net just before half-time, but his right footed blast from just inside the penalty area landed on top of the net as opposed to in the back of it.
Porco thought they broke the deadlock in the 50th minute when Estevao put a rebound past Botafogo’s John Victor, but the goal was waved off for offside.
Botafogo called on their keeper in the 73rd minute to keep the game level when a tight-angled header from Mauricio tested John Victor, but he was reactive to the play in front of him and pushed the ball over the bar with his left hand.
Paulinho gives Palmeiras Lead in Extra Time
After ending 90 minutes of play deadlocked at 0, it would take an extra 30 minutes to decided who’s ticket was being punched to the Club World Cup Round of 16, and who’s ticket was being booked for the flight back to Brazil.
10 minutes into the first half of Extra Time, Palmeiras’ 24 year-old attacker broke the deadlock after coming onto the pitch just a few minutes earlier. Paulinho carried the ball down the right flank and into the corner of the 18 yard box before cutting back to his left and leaving Botafogo’s Marlon Freitas in the dust.
Paulinho, with the ball on his left foot and space inside the 18, sent a skidding shot along the Lincoln Financial Field pitch, fitting it it between a Botafogo defenders legs, and placing it past the outstretched arms of John Victor and into the corner of the net to give his team the lead and a spot in the Club World Cup Quarterfinal.
Palmeiras Supporters Make Philly Temporary Home
The best part of hosting and attending Club World Cup matches in Philadelphia has been getting to witness some of the best supporters in the world come to the city of Brotherly Love and show-out for their club far while playing far from home, and the Palmeiras supporters rank near the top of that list.
They arrived in Philadelphia the night before the match and threw a rally on the steps of the Art Museum, sporting a familiar green and white to the residents of the Tri-State region that support a particular American Football team.
Walking around the stadium, it was almost entirely green shirts representing the club from São Paulo getting ready to enter Lincoln Financial Field. But once you got in the stadium, you quickly understood how organized these supporters were, first with their pre-match Tifo Card Display.
Once the match kicked off, the Palmeiras fans didn’t stop making noise in support of their club for the entire 120 minutes. Some of the best scenes of the day, was when they broke out green and white flags, which I thought looked awesome waving inside the Lincoln Financial Field stands.
After their win, Lincoln Financial Field staff members congratulated Palmeiras supporters on their way out of the stadium, the same place they’ll return to this weekend in hopes of watching their club upset English Premier League giants, Chelsea FC.
Quarterfinal Set for South Philly Showdown
The Club World Cup Quarterfinal is set for Friday July 4th at 9pm in South Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field between Brazil’s Palmeiras and English Premier League side Chelsea FC.
Both clubs have already played in Philadelphia with Palmeiras beating Botafogo in the Round of 16 last weekend, and Chelsea splitting their two group stage matches at the Linc with a 3-1 loss to Brazil’s Flamengo and a 3-0 win against Tunisia’s Espérance.
Chelsea punched their ticket to the Quarterfinal after taking care of Benfica by a score of 4-1 down in Charlotte over the weekend. Reece James opened the scoring in the 64th minute to give Chelsea the lead, but after a lengthy weather delay, Benfica’s Angel Di Maria equalized in the dying moments of the game from the penalty spot to force Extra Time.
Chelsea would take care of business during the additional 30 minutes, with Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all finding the back of the net within a 10-minute span to take a 4-1 win into the next round.
The Quarterfinal between Chelsea and Palmeiras will be the second meeting between the two clubs, with the first coming during the 2022 Club World Cup Final in which a 118th minute winner from Kai Havertz claimed the trophy for Chelsea.
This time around, Palmeiras Head Coach Abel Ferreira hopes the outcome will be different for the team in Green.
“we will fight until the end for our dream” – Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras Head Coach
MAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Caean Couto
