Boca vs Vasco: Vasco grabs 1-0 first-leg win at La Bombonera
Key takeaways
- Vasco da Gama beat Boca Juniors 1-0 in the Copa Sudamericana semifinal first leg on October 13, 2026.
- Adson scored the only goal in the first half at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.
- The second leg is on October 20, 2026, with Vasco hosting and holding a one-goal lead.
Vasco da Gama beat Boca Juniors 1-0 on Tuesday night The game was the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semifinal It was played at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires.
Adson scored the only goal of the game Vasco now holds a small lead in the tie Boca must fight back in the second leg in Brazil.
What happened
The game kicked off at 9:30 pm local time on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The stadium was La Bombonera, the famous home of Boca Juniors. Piero Maza served as the referee for the match. DSports showed the game on TV.
Boca started the game without its captain, Leandro Paredes Paredes had a right hamstring injury A hamstring is a big muscle at the back of the thigh.
He had picked up the problem in a game against Instituto TyC Sports reported that he lasted just 16 minutes in that game.
Coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena changed his attack for the semifinal Enner Valencia started up front in place of Miguel Merentiel Valencia is known for his strong play in the air.
Williams Alarcon also started in midfield Boca kept its usual 4-3-1-2 shape That means four defenders, three midfielders, one playmaker, and two forwards.
Vasco took the lead in the first half Adson scored the goal for the Brazilian side According to Infobae, the goal came from a cross by Carlos Gomez.
A cross is a pass kicked from the side into the box The ball reached Adson after a poor clearance by Lautaro Di Lollo A clearance is a defender kicking the ball away from danger.
Adson headed the ball into the net.
Boca went into halftime down 1-0. The home team had paid for one mistake Vasco had taken its chance well The second half brought more pressure from Boca.
The home fans pushed their team to chase an equalizer An equalizer is a goal that ties the game.
Boca came close more than once after the break Lautaro Blanco hit the post with a cross that turned into a shot The post is the metal frame of the goal.
Jagger Herrera went close with a header soon after Sebastian Villa came off the bench in the 57th minute He replaced Williams Alarcon and added fresh pace on the wing.
Vasco held on through the late pressure The full-time score stayed Boca Juniors 0, Vasco da Gama 1. Elbotola lists the game as full time with that score The match stats show a tight game.
Boca had 51 percent of possession Possession means time spent with the ball Vasco had 49 percent.
Boca took 10 shots, while Vasco took 9 shots But Vasco put two shots on target, and Boca put just one on target.
Why it matters
The Copa Sudamericana is a big South American club cup Clubs from across the continent play in it each year The semifinal is one step from the final.
Only two teams from each tie move on This tie has two legs, or two games The team with more goals over both games reaches the final.
A 1-0 away win is a strong result for Vasco An away win means winning at the other team's home ground Vasco scored a goal on the road and gave up none.
That gives the Brazilian side control of the tie Vasco can now play the second leg at home with a lead.
For Boca, the loss stings for two reasons First, the team lost at home La Bombonera is known as a hard place for visiting teams.
Second, Boca must now score in Brazil to stay alive The team could not find a goal at home That makes the task in the return leg much harder.
The result also shapes the mood around both clubs Vasco will travel home with belief The players know one more good night can send them to the final.
Boca will need a reset The team must fix its finishing It must also cut out the small errors at the back.
One poor clearance led to the only goal of the first leg.
South American soccer keeps giving fans big nights this week Latin American club soccer stays full of drama See the 3-3 draw between Pumas and Cruz Azul.
In Mexico, Santos Laguna won 2-1 over San Luis for a fourth straight win And on the world stage, the USWNT faced Spain in a second friendly.
What happens next
The second leg is set for Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Vasco will host the return game in Brazil Sportradar lists the second leg as scheduled for that date Boca must win to turn the tie around.
A win by one goal would level the score over the two games A win by more would put Boca ahead Vasco reaches the final with a win or a draw.
Boca will also watch the fitness of Leandro Paredes His return would lift the team He is the captain and a key leader in midfield.
But the team cannot count on him yet The club has not set a return date in the reports we read Fans should wait for a fresh team update before the second leg.
Vasco will plan to defend its lead with care The team does not need to chase goals in the return leg A calm, tight game suits Vasco now.
But one Boca goal would change the whole tie So Vasco must stay sharp from the first whistle to the last.
The winner of this tie reaches the Copa Sudamericana final The loser goes home That is what makes the second leg so big.
Boca needs a road win at a hostile ground Vasco needs one more solid night to finish the job The first leg gave Vasco the edge.
The second leg will decide who takes it all.
More sports news today: Parker Messick starts ALCS Game 2 for Guardians; Barcelona beats Galatasaray in Champions League; Rams sign Blake Grupe and release Harrison Mevis; Maple Leafs vs Mammoth NHL preview.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,