its unbeaten streak but also the chance of competing for the first semester titles: A 2–1 loss to Vitória, in the Engenhão, in the round of 16 of the Brazil Cup and another loss to Fluminense in the second leg of the Carioca final, confirming the runner-up spot. In the Brazilian championship, the club made its biggest signing in recent years and the biggest in Brazilian football this season, bringing in Dutch star Seedorf. The player was officially presented on 7 July, before the team's 8th round match against Bahia, at Engenhão which ended a 3–0 win. However, in the Dutchman's debut, the team suffered a 1–0 loss to Grêmio. Seedorf's first goal would come two weeks later, in Goiânia, against Atlético Goianiense, from a free-kick. In the Copa Sudamericana, the team disappointed again and was eliminated in the first round to Palmeiras. In the Brazilian champsionship, the black-and-whites finished in 7th position. In 2013, however, Seedorf led the team in the Carioca Championship, which Botafogo won along with the Guanabara and Rio cups, against Vasco and Fluminense, respectively. The Brazilian championship also started well for the black-and-whites, who led the competition for six rounds. However, with the sales of Fellype Gabriel and the revelation Vitinho, in addition to the problems with salary delays, the team faced some instability; it was eliminated by Flamengo in the quarterfinals of the Brazil Cup, defeated 4–0. Even with the irregularity in the final half of the season, the team managed to finish the Brazilian championship in 4th place, securing a spot in the 2014 Libertadores Cup after an 18-year absence in the continental competition. In the first half of 2014, using backup players for almost the entire competition, Botafogo had its worst campaign in the history of the Carioca Championship, with four wins, five draws, and six losses, a 37.8% record and negative goal difference, finishing 9th among 16 participants. In the Libertadores Cup, despite the unrestricted support of the fans, who filled the Maracanã stadium for the team's four matches, Botafogo was eliminated in the group stage. In the Brazil Cup, the team entered the round of 16 and eliminated Ceará in a historic game: A 4–3 come-from-behind win at the Castelão, with goals in the 49th and 50th minutes of the second half. But in the next round, the black-and-whites were once again a disappointment and were eliminated by Santos, 5–0