Boca Juniors got an interesting draw from their trip to San Pablo: they tied goalless against Corinthians for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16. Although Agustín Rossi was a figure and saved a penalty, the auriazul team raised a serious game and was not overwhelmed at any time. He even had several actions to open the scoring, but Cássio, the local goalkeeper, appeared there, also with a great performance.
The Brazilians took the initiative, but with the reservations of the fear that Boca instills. He sought to be aggressive in attack, being wide with the pass from the lanes and with mobility in Willian and Guedes. But when he fumbled the ball, he ushered the entire team behind the ball line and allowed his opponent to comfortably move it to midfield. The intention: to prevent Xeneize from putting their sprinters Zeballos and Villa to run.
The coach Vitor Pereira did not misread the game map. At 14 minutes, when Battaglia’s men were able to shoot Zeballos, the man from Santiago overflowed and sent a precise cross to Benedetto, who headed into the hands of Cássio.
The procedure was rough and very even. Both casts focused on neutralizing their opponent’s strengths, and that meant they took few risks. The local was better profiled by the right wing, with Adson and Mantuan. In fact, the first hooked from the side to the center and finished with his left foot: his attempt went just wide. Boca took rhythm out of the match and waited for his chance.
Until after 39 minutes, Rojo hit Mantuan’s face with his arm and referee Roberto Tobar sanctioned a penalty. Guedes took over and finished off to the goalkeeper’s right, at mid-height. And Agustín Rossi confirmed his status as a specialist in shots from 12 steps.
And to complete the task, the Argentine team almost went into the break with an advantage: After a center from the left, Benedetto hit it blundered, but with direction, and forced Cássio to fly.
The second half offered another rhythm. Whether it’s because the two teams were encouraged to shed their fears or because wear and tear began to erode concentration, the truth is that the arrivals appeared. One minute, after a play by Willian, Giuliano finished off in front of the fence and with Rossi almost out of action, but Rojo from the floor dressed as a hero to avoid the goal. Romero, from a free kick, then almost hung the ball from an angle, but Cássio intervened.
Before the game, the bus that was transporting the Boca Juniors delegation to the stadium was attacked with stones by a group of local fans and a large projectile shattered a glass window of the vehicle.
The attack took place on Jacú Pessego avenue, on the route that the residents of Bocas del Toro made between the Pullman hotel where they stayed, near the Guarulhos airport, to the stadium formerly called Arena Corinthians.