The São Paulo squad faces an uphill battle in the Copa Sudamericana after dropping a narrow 1–0 decision to Boca Juniors in the first leg of the quarterfinals at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, according to match reports from Lance!. Miguel Merentiel struck early in the second half for the hosts, capitalizing on defensive miscommunication following a corner kick. The result leaves the Brazilian side needing a victory at home next week to keep their continental campaign alive, while compounding squad depth issues following a crucial suspension.
Missed Opportunities Define First Half at La Bombonera
The visitors controlled large portions of the opening 45 minutes on Tuesday, September 8, dictating the tempo and restricting Boca’s build-up play in front of a packed stadium. Winger Iago delivered a precise cross to Luciano, whose header drew a sharp reflex save from Boca goalkeeper Montero. Moments later, Luciano released Iago down the left flank for a low center into the penalty area. Strikers Jonathan Calleri met the cross but miscued his effort, sending the ball wide of the target and leaving the scoreless deadlock intact heading into halftime.
Merentiel Breakthrough Shifts the Tie
Boca Juniors adjusted quickly after the interval, turning the defensive pressure back onto the Tricolor backline. Just four minutes into the second half, Leandro Paredes swung in a corner kick that the São Paulo defense failed to clear cleanly. Miguel Merentiel reacted fastest inside the goalmouth to bundle the ball past goalkeeper Rafael, breaking the deadlock and shifting the tactical momentum entirely toward the Argentine hosts. As São Paulo pressed for an equalizer, Boca exploited open spaces on counter-attacks, testing the visitor’s defensive resolve.
Calleri Suspension Complicates Second Leg at Morumbis
Beyond the deficit on the scoreboard, São Paulo absorbed a significant personnel blow for the return fixture. Argentine forward Jonathan Calleri picked up a yellow card during the physical encounter at La Bombonera. Having entered the match already suspended on yellow card accumulation warnings, Calleri is automatically ruled out of the decisive second leg, depriving coach Dorival Júnior of his primary center-forward option.
The return match is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, at the Estádio do Morumbi (Morumbis) in São Paulo. To advance directly to the Sudamericana semifinals in regulation time, the Tricolor must win by a margin of two goals or more. A victory by exactly a single goal will send the quarterfinal tie straight to a penalty shootout, while any draw or loss will eliminate the Brazilian club.
VAR Reversal and Late Tension
Emotions boiled over late in the second match half when central defender Domingos Duarte received a straight red card following a rugged challenge with Leandro Paredes in the 29th minute. The referee halted play and consulted the video assistant referee (VAR) monitor to review the incident. Replays established that Duarte cleanly touched the ball first before Paredes made contact with the sliding defender’s boot. Following the review, the referee rescinded the red card, allowing Duarte to finish the match on the pitch after anchoring a mostly resilient defensive performance alongside Robert Arboleda and Sabino.
Manager Dorival Júnior acknowledged the difficulty of the defeat while maintaining confidence in his squad’s trajectory ahead of the decisive home fixture. The team returns to domestic preparations before hosting the decisive continental showdown in São Paulo.
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