RIO DE JANEIRO (Interstat) — In a thrilling, back-and-forth match to open the Carioca Série A season, Botafogo edged Sport Recife 3-2 on Tuesday night at Estádio Nilton Santos, powered by a dominant performance from forward José Kadir.

The game, which defied a conservative pregame projection, delivered a flurry of first-half action and a dramatic, late winner to secure the victory for the home side.

Botafogo’s victory was spearheaded by Kadir, who was instrumental in all three of his team’s goals. The forward finished with two goals and an assist, a decisive contribution that proved the difference on the scoreboard.

The match began at a frantic pace. Against the run of play, Sport Recife’s substitute Leo Augusto Pereira opened the scoring in the 14th minute, silencing the home crowd. Botafogo’s response was swift and forceful. Just ten minutes later, defender Alex Telles was shown a yellow card, a moment that seemed to ignite the home team’s comeback.

The equalizer arrived in the 28th minute from an unlikely source. Another substitute, Rafael Thyere, found the net to level the score at 1-1. The momentum had clearly shifted, and Botafogo capitalized almost immediately. Just two minutes later, forward Artur scored to give Botafogo a 2-1 lead, completing a stunning two-goal burst in the span of 120 seconds.

Sport Recife, however, refused to capitulate. Early in the second half, they found an answer. In the 58th minute, José Kadir scored his first goal of the night, assisted by substitute Gabriel, to pull the visitors even at 2-2 and set up a tense final half-hour.

As the match entered stoppage time, it appeared headed for a draw, a result that would have aligned with the Interstat game simulator’s pre-match projection of a 1-1 finish. But Kadir had other plans. In the fifth minute of added time, he scored his second goal of the match, securing his brace and the victory for Botafogo. The goal was assisted by substitute Igor Cariús. The dramatic finish prompted a yellow card for Kadir for his ensuing celebration.

The match was a physical affair, with six yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Following Telles’ first-half booking, Sport Recife’s Lucas Kal was cautioned in the 61st minute. Botafogo’s Gabriel was shown a yellow card in the 65th minute, followed by Sport Recife’s Aderlan in the 83rd and Igor Cariús in the 87th, preceding the late booking for the match-winner, Kadir.

The result provided a successful start to Botafogo’s campaign in the Carioca Série A, improving their record to one win and zero losses in the competition and across all competitions this season. For Sport Recife, the narrow defeat leaves them searching for their first positive result, as their record falls to zero wins and one loss in both the Carioca Série A and in all competitions.

The offensive outburst was a collective effort, with multiple substitutes making key contributions. For the winning side, Rafael Thyere and Artur provided crucial first-half goals, while substitutes Gabriel and Igor Cariús registered assists. For Sport Recife, the goals from Leo Augusto Pereira and José Kadir were facilitated by assists from substitutes Aderlan and Lucas Kal.

The final scoreline confirmed the overwhelming favoritism projected by statistical models, with Interstat’s ELO system having given Botafogo a 91.20 percent probability to win, a forecast that ultimately proved accurate despite the competitive nature of the contest. The three points earned solidify a positive start for Botafogo as they navigate the early stages of the Brazilian state championship.