It was on penalties, like those nights of glory. That shot from Peglow that missed over the bar was a relief. Because Boca’s obsession is the seventh and just on December 9, two years after the Superclásico that River celebrated in the Obelisco, he had to show his face. He played badly, he lost to Inter in the ninety minutes, but from twelve steps came relief and qualification for the quarterfinals of the Libertadores. The victory in Porto Alegre had been fundamental. His rival will be Racing, neither more nor less, in two high-tension classics. Wednesday will be at El Cilindro. The revenge, 24 hours before Christmas Eve right here, in the Bombonera.
It was a very uncomfortable match for Boca. Because the ball was almost always in the hands of Inter. And if Miguel Angel Russo’s idea was to hurt on the counterattack, it didn’t work either because he had many difficulties in recovery. The divided ones were dominated by the Brazilians, who were planted with offensive midfielders and a winger, Moisés, who showed aggressiveness to go on the attack. Also, in the first two actions of the match, when he had to be expelled.
Sixty seconds had not elapsed and the defender born in São Paulo went down with great vehemence and turned Julio Buffarini. Roberto Tobar admonished him. Three minutes later, he went to dispute another ball, he got to it first, but He nailed the plugs in Carlos Tevez’s tap. The Chilean referee had his back turned. Perhaps he did not see it, but the VAR did not warn him that it was a play to review.
It would have changed the development, of course. In the same context, Inter controlled the game with Edenilson and, especially, with Patrick, shifting from center to left. When it was closed, it enabled Moisés and there was a good tandem that dismantled Buffarini.
Three clear situations generated Inter. A wall between Patrick and Moisés, the center behind the wheel and Thiago Galhardo’s front shot that blew the crossbar. Another move by Patrick that got rid of Nicolás Capaldo and his delivery sent Praxedes into the hands of Esteban Andrada. Again Patrick and Moisés were associated and the ball from the side met the header of Galhardo who, again, ran into the safety of number one xeneize.
Boca could not string together societies. Edwin Cardona started on the top right in a 4-4-2 and was rarely able to join Tevez. Sebastián Villa and Eduardo Salvio could not unbalance on the outside. The midfield was overwhelmed. And in forty-five minutes, there wasn’t a single archery shot.
That superiority that Inter had shown was reflected on the scoreboard as soon as the second half started. The Patrick-Moses alliance paid off. The midfielder recovered after a weak rejection from Buffarini, overflowed the side, Andrada passed and Frank Fabra took it on the far post. Goal against and to row.
And if Boca was already complicated with the tie, it cost him much more at a disadvantage. Because it was a disconnected team that depended on some intermittent flash of inspiration from Cardona, or from Tevez’s hierarchy. When the Colombian and Charlie Brown Lomba appeared to cover a mid-range shot from the blue and gold captain.
Russo reached into the bench. As Buffarini was not outmatched by his sector and Villa did not finish a play, Leonardo Jara and Agustín Obando entered. Campuzano grew in the middle, Boca had a greater tenure, but continued with difficulties in the area because Fabra was released little. Obando was not a solution either and ended up being sent off in the end. Why didn’t Mauro Zárate or Franco Soldano come in? It took another striker and join Tevez with Cardona for the gestation.
Víctor Cuesta lost the second when Andrada missed from a corner kick. And he was always close to hitting Inter with the fast Peglow, who came in and unbalanced. However, he missed the final penalty. And Boca already beats the duel with Racing.
Penalty series
For Boca they converted Carlos Tevez, Eduardo Salvio, Frank Fabra, Carlos Izquierdoz and Leonardo Jara. Marcelo Lomba saved Edwin Cardona’s shot.
Rodinei, Edenilson, Yuri Alberto and Leandro Fernández scored for Inter. Rodrigo Lindoso and Peglow missed.
