BOTAFOGO'S RARE FEAT
Botafogo’s rare feat in Copa Libertadores final
Botafogo managed to win the Copa Libertadores final vs Cruseiro (3-1) playing more than 88 minutes outnumbered after early red card of their defender Gregore (picture).
This is a rare, and even in some aspects unprecedented, feat in the history of tournament.
*Botafogo are the third team that managed to score, playing outnumbered, in a Copa Libertadores final, after:
International against Sao Paulo in 2006,
Guadalajara against Internacional in 2010.
*Never before a team scored even 2 goals in a Copa Libertadores final, playing outnumbered (Botafogo scored 3).
*Botafogo are the first team to score 3 goals in a direct elimination match of the Copa Libertadores, playing with a numerical inferiority, since River Plate did so against Emelec in the round of 16 (second leg) of 2001 (expulsion of Cardetti in the 37' and goals from Yepes, Saviola and Ortega in 59', 62' and 66').
*Botafogo are the first team to win a Copa Libertadores match (at any stage) by playing almost whole game outnumbered.
*Gregore’s red card, shown at 1 minute 4 seconds after kick-off, is the earliest ever in Copa Libertadores finals and 3rd earliest overall in the history of competition (see the table).
The red card foul (a harsh tackle) was committed at 31 seconds.
| EARLIEST | RED | CARDS | COPA | LIBERTADORES | ||
| Player | Timing | Nation | Date | Team | Game | |
| 1 | Alejandro Bernal | 0:27 | Colombia | 12/03/2014 | Atletico Nacional | Nacional 2-2 |
| 2 | José Jorge González | 0:30 | Uruguay | 11/04/1974 | Rosario Central | Huracán 0-4 |
| 3 | Gregore | 1:04 | Brazil | 30/11/2024 | Botafogo | Atlético Mineiro 3-1 |
| 4 | Kléber | 1:10 | Brazil | 20/05/2010 | Cruzeiro | São Paulo 0-2 |