Botafogo Defeats Seattle Sounders 2-1 in Club World Cup Opener

In the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Group B match at Seattle's Lumen Field, Botafogo secured a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders with first-half goals from Jair Cunha and Igor Jesus. Cunha opened the scoring from a controversial free kick following a yellow card to Nouhou Tolo, which many Sounders players deemed unfair. Jesus extended the lead just before halftime with a powerful header, while Sounders' Cristian Roldan scored a deflected header in the 75th minute to spark a late comeback attempt. Despite outshooting Botafogo 23-12 and mounting pressure in stoppage time, Seattle was unable to find an equalizer, with Botafogo's defense, led by goalkeeper John, holding firm. Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer made key substitutions to try to change the game's momentum after halftime, but disciplinary issues, including Nouhou's yellow card, complicated Seattle's efforts. The Sounders now face a challenging path to advance, needing points against Atlético Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain in upcoming matches.