Boca Juniors, with a goal from their franchise reinforcement, Edinson Cavani, beat Platense 3-1 tonight, in a match valid for the opening date of zone B of the Professional League Cup (LPF).
In the Bombonera and before a splendid public setting, the team led by DT Jorge Almirón built a victory that, from time to time, showed intentions of a good game, facing the first leg of the quarterfinals with Racing for the Copa Libertadores. scheduled for Wednesday.
Exequiel Zeballos from Santiago (Pt. 28m.), the pointed Uruguayan Cavani (St. 10m.) and the midfielder Cristian Medina (St. 48m.) converted for the local cast. The forward marker Nicolás Morgantini (St. 10m.) discounted for Vicente López’s team.
With some new faces like Lucas Blondel, Lucas Janson and Marcelo Saracchi, among others, the auriazul team showed an acceptable performance, at times, although the difference of two goals was due -exclusively- to the individual hierarchy of their last names.
On the podium of the highlights of the local cast, Zeballos’s task was placed above. Cavani also performed satisfactorily, beyond his goal. And in the middle of the field, Ezequiel Fernández displayed good movements and was a reference for criteria and distribution.
The Boca Juniors fan marked, from the beginning of the game, what was the goal of the month, to the point that he fervently sang against Racing Club, ahead of the quarterfinal duel for the Libertadores that will play this Wednesday, in this same scenario .
At the start, Boca tried to impose conditions, with a plan that privileged three forwards in the rival field almost permanently, plus a “double five” with Campuzano-Fernández, while Medina sought to be the link with the offense.
Boca began to prevail on the side of “Changuito” Zeballos and, from the outset, the winger scored a shot that forced a good response from goalkeeper Macagno.
Platense sought to balance in the media zone, as the presence of Iván Rossi came to carve. Then, the development was balanced and the ball did not reach the auriazules attackers clearly.
The visiting team had a clear situation (22m.), when a cross from Zalazar was connected by Ferreyra, who finished off wide.
At 28m, however, a good xeneize connection led to the opening. The precise touches exhibited by Cavani-Medina and the deep qualification for the arrival of Zeballos, who won Marcich’s back, ended with a surgical definition before the departure of Macagno.
Boca threw the plate at Platense and with a play from “another game” he was up on the board.
In the second period, the xeneize team took advantage of another overflow from Zeballos, who found a mistaken exit from Macagno. Then, Cavani exhibited all his goal-scoring nose and sent the ball to the bottom of the goal, through a header. The chant “Uruguayo, Uruguayo” resounded in the Bombonera that seemed to recreate scenes from thirty years ago, when Sergio ‘Manteca’ Martínez was a figure in Oscar Washington Tabárez’s teams.
A while later, at 15m. Morgantini was encouraged to finish off in the rival area and took a left-footed lash, which surprised Javier García to translate into discount.
With more drive and tenacity than football, Vicente López’s team was close to equality, with a tight shot from the admitted Mateo Pellegrino, which was well controlled by García.
However, the relief for the almost 50,000 supporters from Boca came in stoppage time, when Medina, one of the best of the night, hit a shot from outside the area that was embedded in Macagno’s corner and widened the gap.
Boca, who has Wednesday’s match against Racing Club for the Copa Libertadores in mind, will play for the second date of the tournament against Sarmiento de Junín, as a visitor.
Platense will receive Defensa y Justicia for group B, at the Ciudad de Vicente López stadium.
-Synthesis-
Boca Juniors: Javier Garcia; Lucas Blondel, Jorge Figal, Marcos Rojo and Marcelo Saracchi; Cristian Medina, Jorman Campuzano and Ezequiel Fernández; Exequiel Zeballos, Edinson Cavani and Lucas Janson. DT: Jorge Almiron
Platense: Ramiro Macagno; Nicolás Morgantini, Ignacio Vázquez, Gastón Suso and Sasha Marcich; Iván Rossi and Nicolás Castro; Gabriel Gudiño, Maximiliano Zalazar and Luciano Ferreyra; Ronaldo Martinez. DT: Martin Palermo
Goal in the first half: 28m. Zeballos (BJ)
Goals in the second half: 10m. Cavani (BJ); 15 m. Morgantini (P); 48m. Medina (BJ)
Changes in the second half: 12m. Agustín Ocampo for Zalazar and Mateo Pellegrino for R. Martínez (P); 26m. Luca Langoni for Zeballos, Marcelo Weigandt for Blondel and Guillermo Fernández for Campuzano (BJ); 31m. Dario Benedetto for Cavani (BJ); 32m. Franco Diaz for Rossi (P); 37m. Nicolás Valentini for Red (BJ); 40m. Nicolas Servetto for Castro (P)
Booked: Figal, Cavani (BJ) Castro, Suso (P)
Court: Boca Juniors. Referee: Fernando Espinoza.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
