After last week’s debacle, most would say Boca Juniors has no chance. But since their surprise loss to Cúcuta Deportivo in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinals, the Argentines have put things in perspective, and are convinced they can reach their fifth final in seven years.
It may be defying all odds, but from what I’ve seen this year, there’s no reason why Boca can’t overcome Cúcuta on Thursday night and then go on to beat the Grêmio-Santos winner in the finals.
I’m counting on this — after all, I’ve already reserved my ticket for the final, but on the condition that Boca is in it. Of course, I can’t ignore the fact that Boca trails Cúcuta 3-1 after the first leg in Colombia, and needs at least a 2-0 victory at the Bombonera on Thursday to reach the grand final. But with players like Rodrigo Palacio, Martín Palermo, Juan Román Riquelme and Bruno Marioni, there’s no doubt Boca has sufficient attacking power to get the desired result.
Despite its inconsistency this season, Boca is at least two goals better than Cúcuta from any angle, and even though it probably should have lost by a heavier margin in Colombia, Boca’s chances of advancing are still intact.
Boca completely dominated the first half of the first leg and grabbed a precious away goal courtesy of midfielder Pablo Ledesma. Then Cúcuta overcame its nerves, took advantage of its own uneven pitch and took it to Boca in the second half for a 3-1 victory.
But even though Cúcuta celebrated on that night, I believe the celebrations will instead be in the working-class Buenos Aires barrio of La Boca on Thursday. And that’s not only because the Colombians will be without top scorer Blas Pérez (out on international duty with Panama at the CONCACAF Gold Cup), but also because Boca is a veteran squad when it comes to these types of matches.
I’ve witnessed it firsthand. In 2005, I was at the Bombonera when Boca battled Internacional in the quarterfinals of that year’s Copa Sudamericana. The much-fancied Brazilians went into the match with a 1-0 advantage after the first leg in Porto Alegre, and were tied 1-1 in Buenos Aires with only 25 minutes remaining after Rafael Sóbis‘ valuable away goal.
But Boca turned it around in style with three goals and went on to win the match 4-1, eliminating the club that would go onto become South American champions the following year. Boca ended up hoisting that Sudamericana trophy, as it did the previous year when again it came from a 1-0 deficit against Bolívar in La Paz to win the title with a 2-0 victory in the Bombonera.
In the quarterfinals of the ’00 Libertadores, Boca lost 2-1 to archrival River Plate in the first leg at the Monumental, but went on to win the series with an emphatic 3-0 victory at the Bombonera, then won the title against Brazil’s Palmeiras.
With that kind of big-game ability, it’s no wonder Boca has the title in its reach. Los Xeneizes have shown why they’re the most respected club in the history of South American soccer, and why crowds at La Bombonera have become accustomed to their glorious triumphs.
Despite some changes over the years, what gives them the edge over other clubs is that they’re still playing like the club that has challenged for every possible title for almost the past decade. With the return of Riquelme, Palermo, Clemente Rodríguez, Sebastián Battaglia and Hugo Ibarra, Boca has the experience of the key players who helped it win the Libertadores in ’00, ’01 and ’03.
But despite its vast experience, Boca’s Libertadores campaign hasn’t been easy this time around. In the group stage, it couldn’t win on the road, getting crushed 3-0 and 2-0 by Cienciano and Toluca, respectively. But yet again Boca proved its home superiority with three victories in three matches by a combined 11-0, much due to its amazing 7-0 demolition of Bolívar.
In the round of 16, Boca thrashed a strong Vélez Sársfield team 3-0 in the Bombonera, and then drew 1-1 with Libertad in the same scenario before winning the series with an impressive 2-0 victory in Asunción, Paraguay.
There’s no doubt Boca is in a delicate situation. But it has the necessary tools to get past Cúcuta, as well as whichever Brazilian team reaches the finals. Winning the Libertadores won’t be easy. But if you factor in history, odds say I’ll be there to see Boca conquer South America for a sixth time.
San Lorenzo one win from glory
In Argentine-league play, it’s a different story. Boca has focused its attention on the Libertadores, yet it has still hung tight in the domestic race. But its last minute-defeat at Colón de Santa Fe last weekend has made one thing clear: Unless San Lorenzo completely loses its head, it will win its first national championship since 2001.
El Ciclón has had an extraordinary campaign, and with a victory over Arsenal de Sarandí this weekend, it will be assured of the title. If it fails to win the three points, it will have another opportunity in the final week of the season against an already relegated Quilmes.
What’s important to note here is that San Lorenzo has gone undefeated in all four Buenos Aires clásicos this season, including a 3-0 victory over Boca at the Bombonera in March. Ramón Díaz‘s side is definitely title-worthy, but with the final of the Libertadores close approaching, one can only ponder how far San Lorenzo could have gone if it had qualified for the competition.
Gregory Sica
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