Internacional suffered a massive blow in their title chase as in-form Botafogo downed them 1:0 in Rio de Janeiro at the weekend. The hosts kicked off the stronger of the two and got a deserved lead on 41 minutes via Matheus Fernandes. Inter looked muted in their response and hardly threatened in the second half, even if the profligate hosts let them off the hook with a few misses after counterattacks. Internacional had a couple of players sent off deep in added time.

Botafogo looked to make their mark early in the game as Leo Valencia sent a good dipping shot a foot over the bar after five minutes and then curled a free-kick not too far wide of the left post as well after quarter of an hour played. Internacional looked tired and lacking in ideas, hardly like a side still within a shot of battling for the league title, in what was a very sloppy first-half display by the Reds.

They never really worried the home defence and struggled to hold their ground in midfield as well. Botafogo cooled down after the lively start but still looked the only team in the game that could break the deadlock as the game reached the closing stages of the half. And indeed they did so when a cross by Erik was missed by Zeca inside the box and Matheus Fernandes chested down and finished into the near left corner with a clinical effort.

It was not much different early in the second half as there was just clear disconnect at the top end of pitch for the visiting side, with their attacking players starved out of service and struggling to make impact. Marcelo Lomba needed to make a decent save to keep the score down as he parried away a low shot by Marcinho after the full-back latched onto a cut-back down the right. Brenner had a good chance in the next minute too when he advanced down the right and had only the goalie to beat, but Lomba did come off his line well and stopped the striker from having a shot. Fogaõ seemed untroubled at the back but almost gifted the opposition an equaliser when Brenner tried to head away a free-kick delivery by Andres D'Alessandro and the ball was close to dropping into the net, but for the sharp reflexes of Gatito Fernandez.

The hosts began to feel the pressure as the game went on and Moses had to make a good clearing header from a left-wing cross, with a visiting player waiting behind him. Brenner missed an absolute sitter on the other end when he was sent clear against the keeper but tried to round him and Lomba managed to snatch the ball with his feet.

The visiting goalie was needed again with eight minutes left as he stopped a dinked effort by Rodrigo Pimpaõ from inside the area. The big chance for Inter came soon after as Rodrigo Moledo got on the end of a cross from the right but a scuffed volley narrowly missed the right post. The visiting side also had a couple of players sent off deep in added time as first Wellington Silva fouled Pimpaõ from behind when he raced clear in a counter and saw a red. Moledo then argued with the referee and was shown a second yellow.

Botafogo showed some excellent football and claimed yet another fine scalp in what has been a superb late-season run. They are now mathematically safe from the drop, having looked in real danger last month, and can enjoy the final games of the season. Internacional never really showed up in this game and will be massively annoyed that they could not make the most of a race slip-up by Palmeiras, when they could really have added fire to the title race.