Kaio Pantaleão hails Botafogo, targets cup progress at Nilton Santos | OneFootball

Kaio Pantaleão praised Botafogo's performance even after the 1-1 draw against Vasco, this Wednesday, at São Januário, for the first leg of the Brazil Cup quarterfinals. The defender returned to the team after recovering from an injury and highlighted the team's performance away from home.

“I think we played well. We knew it would be a tough game. We managed to control the game quite a lot. Now it's time to return to our home and secure the qualification", said Kaio Pantaleão.

Botafogo took the lead with Arthur Cabral, who scored seven minutes into the first half, but saw Vasco equalize shortly after, at 16, with a goal from Jair. The match was lively, with chances for both sides. Vasco pressured at various moments, but goalkeeper John made important saves, preventing the home team from turning the score.

With the result, the decision for the spot remains open. The return match will be on September 11, at Nilton Santos. Whoever wins advances to the semifinals of the Brazil Cup. If there is another draw, the decision will be on penalties. Botafogo, with Kaio Pantaleão, is banking on the good performance shown away from home to secure the qualification in front of the fans.

The classic match clearly showed the balance between the teams and the expectation for the return increases. Kaio and his teammates will now have time to adjust details, aiming to secure the spot in the semifinal in the home match, where the support of the fans can be decisive for the black and white team.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.