Boca Juniorswho is not going through a good moment in the Professional Football League (LPF) and that put in doubt the continuity of his DT Hugo Ibarradebuts in the Argentine Cupa tournament that he won four times, against Olympus of Bahia Blancawho competes in Federal A. And, at the end of the first half, they win 1-0 with a great goal from Augustine Sandez.
The match, valid for the 32nd round of the tournament, is played in a packed Centenario stadium in Chaco, is refereed by Lucas Comesaña and televised by TyC Sports.
Olimpo came out to play with intensity and high pressure and generated the first scoring situations. After just three minutes, Alejandro Toledo pounced from the right and put Nicolás Valentini in trouble but the play was diluted without giving goalkeeper Javier García any problems. At seven, meanwhile, a good triangulation ended in the deflected shot by Santiago Gutiérrez.
Boca did not lose patience and by force of fouls he was getting closer to the goal defended by Martín García. At 16 minutes, Martin Payero He had his free kick opportunity but the author of the best goal on date 8 of the domestic tournament sent the ball over the crossbar.
Just halfway through the first half, those led by Ibarra began to find their place on the field and to move more comfortably, finding spaces that they did not see before. A recovery from Medina and an overflow from Weigandt tried to find Darío Benedetto after 20 minutes without success.
At 32, meanwhile, Merentiel received a cross from the winger Weigandt and tried the goal but the shot went far from the goal defended by García de Olimpo.
Without a great dominance but with the mobile wings wide open, the goal was closer and finally reached 36 through Sandez. After a short rebound from the Olimpo goalkeeper, the left-back took the ball and played against the wall with Benedetto, who quickly returned it to him so that the left-footed player defined from the right and scored a great goal to open the scoring and give Ibarra peace of mind.
Just a minute and a half into the second half, Olimpo had a double chance to tie the game. Before a weak mark of the stopped ball, the clearest was the solitary header of Emilio Lazza to a corner from Cristian Amarilla, who went close to the left post of Javi García.
Without too many weapons, Arnaldo Sialle’s team handed over the ball to Boca and the game entered a plateau. After 15 minutes, on top of that, Ibarra lost Payero due to discomfort in his left leg and had to change the scheme for the entry of the Colombian Villa.
Of course, the Olimpo center forward did not give up and attacked Valentini, as in the first half. That was how, after 22 minutes, Toledo demanded García, who sent the corner kick in another clear situation to equalize the duel.
Ibarra’s difficult moment
The team xeneize It did not have a good week after having reached three winless appearances, with a draw against Defensa y Justicia (0-0) and two straight losses against Banfield (1-0) and Instituto de Córdoba (3-2), results that they sowed doubts about the capacity and continuity of Ibarra.
The former right-back from Boca is going through the worst week of his cycle as a coach and if he does not win against Olimpo, he may be fired before the next LPF match, which will be on Saturday, April 1, against Barracas Central.
Of course, Boca’s problems are not only linked to Ibarra, but are accentuated by the weak moment that several players are going through at the same time, such as Frank Fabra, Guillermo “Pol” Fernández, Darío Benedetto and Sebastián Villa, the latter failed with a thunderous whistle when he was replaced last Sunday night in the second half of the game against the Cordoba.
Ibarra’s insistence on players who do not respond to him is one of the most questioned points and the DT must have taken note because to face Olimpo only “Pipa” Benedetto is the starter and the others will leave the team, as had happened before with the Peruvian Luis Advincula.
The history, in favor of Boca
The record between Boca and Olimpo is 22 games, with 13 victories for the “Xeneizes”, two for the “Aurinegros” and seven draws.
The only time they met in the Argentine Cup was in the 2012 edition that Boca won after beating Racing Club in the final (2-1).
On that occasion they played at the Bicentenario de Catamarca stadium and after drawing (1-1) Boca, led by Julio Falcioni, won 11-10 in the penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, the last time they played an official match was on August 27, 2017 for the Super League, at La Bombonera, and Boca thrashed 3-0 with two goals from Benedetto and the other from Pablo Pérez.
