Boca was always superior and is beginning to find itself
Led by a forceful Edinson Cavani (two goals), Boca beat Central Norte de Salta 3-0 in the 32nd final of the Argentine Cup. The match never had equivalences and already in the first half the xeneize team showed signs of its superiority. He found Santiago del Estero’s first goal of the night in a simple play: overflow and cross by Lautaro Blanco and definition by the Uruguayan.
In the second half, the Uruguayan 9 would repeat, and with a similar formula. The winger who helped him, this time, was Blondel. His was the play, which ended in an assist from Merentiel and a subsequent bicycle kick from Matador to seal a great goal. Merentiel himself would decorate the result later after a great play by Luca Langoni, entered in the second half. Little by little, Boca looks like the team its coach wants: with hunger for the ball, deep sides and volume of play in its midfielders. He is already in the round of 16 of the Argentine Cup.
Cavani’s bicycle kick goal
Anselmino: “I have my head in Boca”
Junior Aaron Anselmino also spoke after the game: “I felt very good. The team was much superior to the rival. I learn every day from the players ahead of me. The game went well and we managed to win it. I have my head in Boca, I want to continue playing here and win titles in Boca.”
Cavani: “The team was up to the task”
Boca’s scorer spoke with TyC Sports after the xeneize victory: “These are games where there are many situations that sometimes one does not have studied. It is difficult to plan it. We face the game with the right attitude, as we should do. We deserved this. Maybe get a broader advantage. The important thing is that it was won. The team was up to the task, with a good identity. We take away positive things. The arch does not open. We forwards make him open, when we continue working. It’s the only recipe. It is a lie that the arch opens. If you don’t go out and look for it, things don’t arrive. I am happy because we are getting the results. We are looking to find a way and little by little we are close. I’m glad to hear that. What has been said, we are used to. Yes, I have heard things from your players! I’m going my way. That has been my essence and I will never change it. We had a great group, of good human beings. The most beautiful thing is when you achieve a great team. And that is achieved with healthy players. We all hugged together. It doesn’t matter who scores the goals. We have to continue growing and working.”
ST, 45m: End of the match
Pita Facundo Tello and Boca beat Central Norte de Salta 3-0 in the round of 32 of the Argentine Cup. He does it with Uruguayan goals: two from Edinson Cavani and one from Miguel Merentiel. In the next instance they will face the winner of the series between San Martín de Tucumán and Almirante Brown, both from the Primera Nacional.
ST, 29m: Goal from Boca!
With their rival playing on the attack, Boca takes advantage of the speed of their forwards and scores the third goal. The play is all Langoni’s, and the goal is Merentiel’s. The match has been defined for a long time.
ST, 25m: Martínez makes more changes in Boca
Diego Martinez makes more modifications in his team, which wins 2-0: Mauricio Benitez for Fernandez, Luca Langoni for Taborda and Marcelo Saracchi for Blanco.
ST, 16m: Changes in Boca
Two references emerge: captain Marcos Rojo and the scorer, Edinson Cavani. They are replaced by Cristian Lema and Darío Benedetto.
ST, 10m: Great goal from Boca!
Cavani finishes a huge play by Boca with a bicycle kick, who comes out at speed with Blondel. The winger enables Cavani, who in turn spots Merentiel. The Uruguayan spots his attacking partner, who defines the Chilean without opposition. It is the Matador’s ninth goal with the Boca shirt: his sixth achievement in 2024.
ST, 3m: Saralegui on goal… crossbar!
Boca puts together another great play. And a side is once again the protagonist. Blondel is projected, combines with Merentiel and the ball drifts to Saralegui. The youth, who has an arch between his eyebrows, tries to place from the edge of the area. The ball explodes off the crossbar. In the following play, Merentiel has the second goal, he defines the near post, and the Salta goalkeeper guesses his intention.
ST, 1m: Second half begins
There is only one change in Central Norte: Daniel Gómez replaces Carrizo, from an opaque first part. In Boca the same eleven players who started the game return.
PT, 47m: End of the first half
Edinson Cavani’s goal is the difference between both teams. The 1-0 for Boca seems meager based on Boca’s dominance, which monopolized the ball and had several chances to increase the advantage.
PT, 41m: Change in North Central
Sánchez, the recently reprimanded player, claims an injury to his right leg and leaves the field. He is replaced by Juan Bautista Sánchez de León.
PT, 37m: Matías Sánchez reprimanded
The left back of the Salta team is cautioned after a foul on Blondel.
PT, 29m: Anselmino cautioned
The youthful Boca defender went to cut off an advance by the Salteños and received the yellow card from Facundo Tello, the match referee.
PT, 18m: Amonestado Paparelli
The defender of the Salta team brings down Zenón with a foul and receives the first yellow of the game. Boca almost found the second goal in the free kick: Rojo was very close to converting.
PT, 16m: Goal from Boca!
Boca finds the goal in a play that is a hymn to simplicity: Zenón enables Blanco, who gets rid of an opponent on a tile. The former Rosario Central takes a perfect cross into the heart of the area and Cavani defines without opposition.
PT, 11m: Everything is from Boca
The xeneize team monopolizes the ball and easily reaches three quarters of the field. It still lacks depth. The Salteños stop on the counterattack and look for their number 9, Germán Lesman, to pivot the ball.
PT, 4m: Uruguayan connection for Boca, which almost converted
With Mereniel almost on the right wing, Cavani takes the 9 and tries a block after the center of his attacking partner. The ball goes close. Let the xeneize team know.
PT, 1m: Played in Santiago del Estero
Facundo Tello gives the order and it is already played at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero.
20.20 This is how the Salta team goes
After 42 years without facing Boca, Central Norte takes the field to play with the xeneize team for the Argentine Cup. His coach, Víctor Riggio, defined the following starting lineup.
20.05 The referee’s shortlist for tonight’s game
The main referee will be Facundo Tello, supported by Facundo Rodríguez (assistant 1) and Federico Cano (assistant 2). The fourth referee will be Francisco Acosta. As the match corresponds to the Argentine Cup, there will be no technological assistance, so it will be played without VAR.
19.55 The last precedent, with victory in Salta
Boca and Central Norte faced each other six times in official matches: the Xeneizes won five and the Salteños only one. But that victory was in the last match played between the two: it was April 11, 1978 and Central Norte won 2-1 on the Gimnasia y Tiro court in Salta.
19.40 Boca, with the returns of Marcos Rojo and Ezequiel Fernández
Marcos Rojo will play again from the beginning in the team led by Diego Martínez. The former defender of Estudiantes and Manchester United, among other clubs, was torn at the beginning of the year in the warm-up prior to a friendly against Gimnasia y Tiro, in Salta, and has been off the field since then. He only had two appearances on the substitute bench, against Estudiantes de La Plata and Racing, for the Professional League Cup, without minutes on the field. Tonight, at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero, Rojo will be the starter and captain of Boca. Ezequiel “Equi” Fernández, another Xeneize footballer who was inactive due to a tear, will also return.
Boca’s starting team for tonight is the following: Leandro Brey; Lucas Blondel, Aaron Anselmino, Marcos Rojo and Lautaro Blanco; Jabes Saralegui, Ezequiel Fernández and Kevin Zenón; Vicente Taborda; Miguel Merentiel and Edinson Cavani.