Erik put Botafogo ahead after 18 minutes when he ran on to a through ball from the halfway line and chipped over the advancing keeper.

Leonardo Valencia made it 2-0 10 minutes later when his free kick from a couple of metres short of the by-line fooled the Flamengo defence and curled into the net.

Flamengo’s former Botafogo winger Vitinho cut the deficit early in the second half when he headed home a cross from the right and although both sides had chances neither could add to the score.

The result lifts Botafogo into 10th place in Série A with 41 points, while Flamengo remain in third, six points behind leaders Palmeiras.