Boca Juniors made it a perfect start to their 2019 Copa Libertadores campaign with a 2-1 victory over River Plate that put them atop the table. The win also gave Boca their first piece of silverware in 14 years and extended their unbeaten run in this tournament to seven matches.
The “boca juniors vs river plate violence” is a football match that took place on April 14, 2019. Boca Juniors were able to beat River Plate with a score of 2-1.
Boca Juniors have shown that they have a formula to defeat South America’s finest two weeks before the Copa Libertadores group stage. Getty Images/Marcelo Endelli
The qualifying stages of the Copa Libertadores in South America are officially over, and 32 teams are set to compete in the draw on Friday. Only two of the continent’s 10 footballing countries account for almost half of them: Argentina is represented by six people, while Brazil is represented by eight people.
Brazil has gained control of a tournament that the Argentines used to regard as virtually a birthright, with the previous three champions and all of the finalists in 2020 and 2021. It will be difficult to find opponents that will give the top Brazilians a game this year, but the best options seem to be River Plate and Boca Juniors of Buenos Aires.
Their encounter on Sunday, therefore, was a game with far-reaching implications beyond Argentina’s boundaries, particularly given how early in the domestic season it occurred.
On the one hand, the stakes were low since neither side could afford to lose. On the other hand, there was enough — the significance of this match sets the tone for their Libertadores quest, which begins in little over two weeks. As a result, Boca is jubilant following a 1-0 victory on enemy territory, with no friends in sight. Because away spectators are prohibited in Argentine football, the Boca players had to celebrate alone as the final whistle sounded on a game that did a lot to solidify their coach Sebastian Battaglia’s position.
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Marcelo Gallardo’s position as River Plate’s manager is secure. He has been in command for about eight years, and he was already a club hero as an offensive midfielder. Battaglia is a hero as well. He was a metronome in the midfield of a successful Boca at the turn of the century, and he’s still finding his feet as a coach. Winning at River helps his reputation a much. The match was always going to be a collision of styles, and it went his way on Sunday.
Gallardo’s River are a big, explosive team that attacks in waves and moves the ball quickly. The Boca of Battaglia are made of a distinct fabric. They are more practical and less striking. They rediscovered their rhythm in a 1-0 triumph against an aggressive Estudiantes squad the previous weekend. Boca donned yellow jerseys instead of the typical blue and yellow on that day, and they kept the same strip for the River encounter.
This recent victory, though, had less to do with superstition and more to do with preparedness. The game may have gone in a different direction. This version of the Buenos Aires derby, like every other match, featured numerous other possible matches inside it. There are always “what if?” scenarios to consider. If Boca had fallen behind, the strategy would have needed to be altered. With a good strategy, they lowered their chances of conceding: Battaglia set up Boca to mark aggressively. Midfield was clogged as the defensive line moved up. The goal was to sever the link between offensive midfielders Ezequiel Barco and Nicolas De La Cruz and star striker Julian Alvarez, halting River’s passing movements at the source.
It was successful. River was never able to find their stride. They were suffocated in the midfield, and Gallardo may be worried that he did not obtain enough attacking width from his full-backs, who are crucial in these circumstances. River access was prohibited. Alvarez whistled one shot over off a Barco pass, Barco had a shot stopped from the outside of the area, and Alvarez’s solo burst was cut short when Augustin Rossi saved his left foot shot. Boca was collecting up cards by snapping into the tackles. Luis Advincula, a Peruvian right-back on the brink of a red card, was substituted at halftime by Nico Figal, a former Inter Miami player.
Another former Inter Miami defender, though, unwittingly determined the game’s outcome. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, a centre-back, is one of the additions targeted at strengthening River Plate’s defense. This year, though, there has been an aura of weakness, which was verified just after the halftime break as he attempted to guide the ball back to goalie Franco Armani. It was a blunder. Armani, who was standing too far away and beckoning for the ball to be removed, was too far away. Boca winger Sebastian Villa portrayed the wolf, while Gonzalez Pirez played the sleeping shepherd. The battle between Villa, who was as fast and powerful as a steeplechase horse, and the River defense was always exciting to see. Villa, in the end, had little opportunities to shine. He, on the other hand, grabbed this one, running in to swipe the ball and hook it past the goalie.
River still had 40 minutes to get an equalizer, so he switched up the offensive lineup. They had little impact, but Rossi had to make a handful of stops, including stopping Alvarez’s rare smooth passing play and tipping over replacement Agustin Palavecino’s sprinting header. As the game progressed, the Boca counter-attack seemed to get more deadly.
Boca Juniors now has a blueprint to follow when it comes to the Libertadores finals. River Plate, on the other hand, may be concerned about their ability to both play and defend against the greatest Brazilian clubs. This was hardly a typical River vs. Boca matchup. But it was exciting, and it has piqued interest in the upcoming edition of South America’s Champions League.
Boca Juniors earned early season bragging rights over River Plate, winning 2-1 in Argentina. Reference: boca vs river 2022.
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