Boca Juniors beats Vasco 3-1 to reach Copa Sudamericana final
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Boca Juniors won 3-1 at Vasco's Maracana and reached the Copa Sudamericana final on a 3-2 total score.
- Leandro Paredes came off the bench and scored the 88th-minute winner from 25 meters.
- The final is a one-off match on November 21 in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Boca Juniors is in the final of the Copa Sudamericana. The Argentine club beat Vasco da Gama 3-1 in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday night. Leandro Paredes scored the late winner.
Boca won the two-game tie 3-2 on total score, according to La Nacion.
What happened
A semifinal in this tournament has two games. Each team plays once at home. Vasco won the first game 1-0 in Buenos Aires on October 13, when an Adson header stunned La Bombonera.
Boca arrived in Rio needing to win. A 1-0 win for Boca would only tie the score. Boca needed more.
Boca started fast. The plan was simple. Score early and quiet the home crowd.
It worked.
Lautaro Blanco took a corner in the 4th minute. Lautaro Di Lollo rose above Santiago Sosa and headed the ball past goalkeeper Leo Jardim. It was 1-0 Boca, reported La Nacion.
Vasco had prepared a loud welcome. There were flags and large displays in the stands. About 70,000 Vasco fans filled the Maracana, according to La Nacion.
Only about 4,000 Boca fans were there. But the early goal changed the mood.
Boca grew in confidence. Sebastian Villa shot at goal, but Jardim saved it. Then Miguel Merentiel struck in the 34th minute.
Villa set him up with a pass. Merentiel finished calmly. Boca led 2-0. The tie was level on total score.
The second half was different. Vasco pushed forward. Boca lost its grip on the midfield.
Jose Luis Rodriguez found a loose ball in the box in the 66th minute. He hit it hard across the goal. It was 2-1. On total score, Vasco now led again.
Boca looked in trouble. Vasco attacked in waves. The home crowd roared.
Extra time seemed likely. Then came the moment of the night.
Paredes had started the game on the bench. He had torn a muscle against Instituto just 11 days earlier, according to Ole. He came on in the second half.
In the 88th minute, he got the ball about 25 meters from goal. He hit it hard. The shot flew toward Jardim.
The ball ended up in the net, off the goalkeeper, reported La Nacion. It was 3-1. The Boca bench ran onto the field.
Referee Jesus Valenzuela blew the final whistle soon after, reported Infobae. Boca players celebrated with their 4,000 fans high in the stands. Boca had turned the tie around.
The final score on total was 3-2 to Boca.
Why it matters
This was a big night for Boca. The club had lost the first game at home. Vasco became only the eighth Brazilian club ever to win at La Bombonera in an official continental match, according to CONMEBOL.
Boca had to do the hard thing. Win away in Brazil. They did it.
The Maracana means a lot to Boca fans. It is the same stadium where Boca lost the 2023 Copa Libertadores final, noted La Nacion. Winning there again heals old pain.
Paredes is the story of the night. He is the team captain. He risked his body to play.
He had only 11 days of rest after his muscle tear, reported Ole. He came on as a substitute. Then he scored the goal that sent Boca to the final.
Ole called him the leader of the team.
Coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena deserves credit too. His nickname is "Vasco". Fans joked about it all night on social media, reported Infobae.
He set up a brave team. Boca attacked from the first minute. Young players like Di Lollo and Jagger Herrera played key roles, noted Ole.
The win also keeps a busy season alive. Boca is chasing several prizes at once, according to Ole. The club leads its league table.
It is also in the semifinals of the Copa Argentina. The Sudamericana final adds one more chance for a trophy.
It was a big week for South American football. In Europe, PSG vs Barcelona in the Champions League drew big search interest on the same night.
What happens next
The final is set. Boca will play a single match on November 21 in Barranquilla, Colombia, reported Infobae. The stadium is the Estadio Metropolitano.
One game decides the champion.
Boca does not know its rival yet. It will be the winner of the other semifinal. Atletico Mineiro faces Montevideo City Torque.
Mineiro won the first game 3-0, reported La Nacion. The second game is in Uruguay this week. Mineiro is the clear favorite.
Boca will aim for its third Sudamericana title. The club won the trophy in 2004 and 2005, according to beIN Sports. A win this time would end a long wait for an international trophy.
The schedule is tight. The final falls during the end of the Argentine league season. Boca also has Copa Argentina games around the same time, noted La Nacion.
The coach must manage tired legs.
For now, Boca fans can enjoy this night. They went to Rio needing a miracle. They got one from their captain.
Barranquilla is next.
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