Boca lost out on their visit to Pereira and are still leaders in South America’s Libertadores

He went to Colombia seeking to qualify, but went undefeated near the end. Boca Juniors completed an even match, with few chances for both, and lost 1-0 visiting Deportivo Pereira in CONMEBOL Libertadores’ fourth date. Thus Xeneize continues as the leader of Group F.with only one goal difference from the opponent on duty, who caught up with him in the lead by seven points.

The team, led by Jorge Almiron, managed to achieve a tedious but effective victory over Argentinos Juniors, to restore its place in the domestic championship. Between the Copa Libertadores and the League Championship, Boca did not lose in six of the previous seven matches, but another defeat came, this one with extra color because if they tied, they would be close to the goal of passing the round and winning. He gave them the passport to the round of 16.

On his visit to Colombian soil, in an equal duel, Xeneize again failed the game generation and almost always attacked with a flow from the local Sebastian Villa, ex-Deportes Tolima, fast and energetic. He had his clearest position midway through the first half when Dario Benedetto swept in a cross and Norberto Briasco entered from the center of the area, but he didn’t touch it to convert it, with an opponent’s mark above.

Specifically, Briasco entered into a change of Almirón’s scheme, deciding to place Luis Advíncula as a right-back, a position previously held by the Peruvian in Boca, with the other coaches, not as he used to do with the current DT, more advanced by that squad, reaching the goal The competitor and scoring important goals, especially in the Copa Libertadores. Only in the second half did Marcelo Wiegandt come in to go deep and send Advincula there to attack.

And it was Briasco, again, who tried but couldn’t convert. In the outcome of the initial stage, he hit a shot from outside the area, entering from the right, which the goalkeeper was able to block. When the whistle came, it was Guillermo Paul Fernandez who avoided the confrontation between Angelo Rodriguez and Sergio Romero. And there was something else: Benedetto could not finish comfortably in front of Aldir Quintana, after he slipped past the goalkeeper and the ball went to one side, just when the zero seemed to break.

At the start of the second half, young player Nicolas Valentini, who was brought in by the professional Facundo Roncaglia, almost scored with a header after Villa’s corner kick from the left. This was the first announcement of a sequel led by Almiron.

But after a while one of Pereira’s clearest appeared, counterattacking with four locals against two from Boca. Johan Bocanegra gave the ball to Johnny Vazquez, but the defender and captain, who were not used to getting into the opponent’s area and defending, took the weak kick and Romero stopped the low shot. The entire Colombian public lamented it, as it was the most poignant situation.

Then some hot crosses arrived, giving the duel a bartending air. After 15 minutes of closure, Jorge Vigal extended his right arm to support it on the back of Arly Rodriguez, who fell in the big box, and the referee announced a penalty kick. It was an unnecessary foul, as Juan Pablo Zuluaga did not take advantage from 12 steps because Romero had his powerful shot saved almost halfway through the goal. Immediately after, a left winger and Arlie Rodriguez beat Frank Fabra with a header to make it 1-0 after 78 minutes.

And so, on a night when he deserved to take at least one point, Boca left empty-handed. He came from defeating Colo-Colo, who partnered him at the top of the table and removed him to remain alone, a position he kept in his own area. Before that, he beat Pereira in agonizing fashion at La Bombonera and drew Monagas on his Venezuelan debut.

Boca has seven points in four days and Pereira reached it. The positive thing about Xeneize is that they must receive Colo-Colo and Monagas to close out Group F. They have the rankings on their hands, while the Colombian national team achieved a historic victory over one of the greats of the continent and the world and is also eager to continue.