RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- A second-half strike from defender Gil gave Corinthians a 1-0 home win over leader Botafogo in Brazil's Serie A championship on Friday.
Botafogo suffered a blow when left-back Fernando Marcal was dismissed in the 23rd minute for a reckless challenge on Pedro Henrique.
Corinthians broke the Rio de Janeiro club's resistance through defender Gil, who blasted home from close-range just before the hour.
The result leaves Corinthians 10th in the 20-team standings with 30 points from 24 outings.
Botafogo, meanwhile, has lost its past three league fixtures but maintains a seven-point lead over second-placed Palmeiras. ■
