Boca gave everything at the Maracaná. He watered the lawns of Rio de Janeiro with the most generous of his sweat. And he wasn’t enough. In overtime and after having tied 1 to 1 in the ninety minutes, Fluminense beat them 2 to 1 and won the Copa Libertadores de América for the first time in their history. Backed by 25 thousand fans who cheered all afternoon in the stadium and almost 80 thousand in the surrounding area, the Xeneize team could not satisfy the cup obsession of the seventh Libertadores. The count was stuck at six and it is difficult to move it from there since the last consecration dates back to 2007. When Juan Román Riquelme was the biggest star on the field and not the first vice president as now.
Nothing can be objected to Boca. They lost 1 to 0 with a great goal from the Argentine Germán Cano at 36 minutes of the first half and in the second stage, at 27 minutes they were able to tie with another left-footed goal from the Peruvian Luis Advíncula from outside the area and ended up winning the ball and scoring against their area to Fluminense. They were on the verge of losing in the last play of the match when a cross shot by winger Diogo Barbosa (Marcelo’s replacement) went very close to the left post of Sergio “Chiquito” Romero’s goal.
But eight minutes into the first overtime, a hellish right hand from striker Kennedy once again overtook the Cariocas in the race. And there was no longer any issue. Both were left with ten men (Kennedy received a second yellow card for having gone to shout the goal with his fans and Frank Fabra saw the red card for slapping defender Nino Paraíba) and although Boca threw crosses and more crosses and again He cornered the Brazilians, could not tie again and was left empty-handed and with the feeling of having given everything and being left with nothing.
In any case, what there was was a difference in individual hierarchy in favor of Fluminense that made it possible for them to define the match. Boca was a tough and brave team. But perhaps it has lacked that extra that serves to resolve even procedures such as this final. In the first half, the Rio goal was very far away. Especially because the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani started from the middle of the field and could not support his compatriot Miguel Merentiel. In the second, he advanced 20 meters on the field, released more people in attack and with greater possession of the ball, the two Fernándezes (Pol and above all, Equi) grew. But it was not clear. Not even when after Advíncula’s goal, Benedetto came on for Cavani and Langoni for Barco to try to win the Cup in the ninety minutes.
Janson came on for Merentiel, Saracchi came on for Equi Fernández, Taborda came on for Medina and the Paraguayan Valdez came on for Figal. But they resulted in drowning blows from Jorge Almirón. Boca cornered Fluminense who after 2 to 1, just wanted to hold on. But he did it with heart and pride, without a hint of football. He also complied.
Of the last twenty games it played between the League Cup, the Argentine Cup and the Libertadores, Boca only won three. And in the continental tournament he broke a record: he tied all four play off games (Nacional, Rácing, Palmeiras and Fluminense). The crowd from Boca that made a pilgrimage to Rio de Janeiro in a moving demonstration of love for the colors has nothing to reproach their team for. But it still becomes silent. The obsession of the seventh is still alive. And he will have to continue waiting like he has been doing for sixteen years.
Boca did not hold anything back and left everything at the Maracaná. But the mystical cup, courage and history were again not enough. In the final, Fluminense had a little more football and that is why the Copa Libertadores stays to live one more year in the wonderful city.
2023-11-05 00:44:13
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