Boca clinched a semi‑final berth. They drew 1‑1 at the Morumbi, winning 2‑1 on aggregate and extending their knockout dominance over Brazilian sides.
Expecting a gritty battle, Boca seized control early, while São Paulo looked uneasy and erred defensively. A lapse let the Uruguayan net the opener. Boca’s player ratings in the qualification against São Paulo.
Boca celebrating at the Morumbi. Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images.
The Colombian keeper entered late in the first half, towering at two metres to punch away a cross and briefly keep a clean sheet. He later cleared numerous second‑half deliveries and wasn’t culpable for São Paulo’s thunderous equaliser header.
Leandro Lozano (9)
His finest display since joining Boca, scoring after ten games by exploiting a defensive slip and finishing with his left foot despite being right‑footed. In my view, his goal proved the turning point. Defensively he was solid; only the foul that gifted the late equaliser cost a point.
Number 2 delivered a disciplined performance, constantly intercepting passes aimed at São Paulo’s attackers and winning many aerial battles. VAR rescued him from blame when the first goal was annulled for a razor‑thin offside.
Jagger cemented his place as the undisputed second centre‑back, dominating both aerial and ground duels and even thriving when pushed wide. The sole flaw came late, losing track of Domingo as São Paulo struck.
The left‑back started brightly, bombarding forward and influencing the attack, but defensive lapses emerged as the game wore on. Lucas Ramón gave him a hard time, repeatedly forcing 2‑on‑1s.
The Russian midfielder offered a box‑to‑box effort, battling when needed and covering the pitch, though he rarely entered the opponent’s box. A shot from inside the area went wide, missing a chance to settle the tie.
The captain’s performance dipped below his usual level, yet he guided Boca to qualification. His trademark long balls often missed their mark, and a late tense incident saw him step back quickly.
Milton Delgado (5)
Returning from a muscle strain, he initially held back to protect the injury but found rhythm after halftime, reclaiming balls and providing the left‑side fire Blanco required.
Velasco endured one of his poorest outings, appearing uncomfortable on the left and failing to link with Blanco. His attempts lacked precision and his shot was blocked.
The youngster struggled to make an impact, roaming the front line but delivering little. He sparked a counter and fed Merentiel, yet nothing materialised; sharper finishing is needed.
His touches were scarce and he wasn’t a focal point. A clear chance arrived from a Flores pass on a break, but he squandered it.
The Colombian again looked out of sorts, hesitating on every touch and losing possession. A one‑on‑one with a defender ended in a tangled miss of a key chance.
Tomás Belmonte, Ángel Romero and Enner Valencia (-)
Insufficient minutes to assign a rating.
Rodolfo Arruabarrena (9) – can he steer Boca to the final?
He orchestrated the team brilliantly, adapting at halftime to São Paulo’s defensive shell and preserving Boca’s edge. Lozano now provides a natural No. 9 option, while Vasco still seeks consistent impact from his substitutes.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Arruabarrena declared after reaching the Sudamericana semi‑finals.
Boca’s next match date following their semi‑final qualification.
Potential opponent for Boca in the Copa Sudamericana semi‑final.
View publisher imprint