Boca Juniors advanced to the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana after defeating San Pablo 2-1 on aggregate, following a 1-1 draw in the return leg in Brazil.
The team managed by Rodolfo Arruabarrena controlled the game, allowing the home team, which was still dealing with the recent defeat in the classic against Palmeiras, to feel the pressure from their anxious fans. Leandro Lozano opened the scoring with a goal, while Domingos Duarte’s late goal only added some suspense to the outcome. At the 60-minute mark, Santiago Ascacibar pressed and assisted Leonel Flores, who delivered a perfect pass to Lozano, who with a left-footed shot beat goalkeeper Rafael.
“I had to go much further back, I was one-on-one and when I lifted my head, the goalkeeper was all alone. Very happy because it went in,” expressed Lozano, the 27-year-old Uruguayan. “We played a good match, we faced a great team. I had already played against them,” he added in his analysis. Lozano also emphasized the importance of keeping a clean sheet until almost the end. “Almost at the end they scored a goal, but we had been maintaining the zero, which is very important for us. We must continue on this path,” he concluded.
His dedication during the match resonated in the football world: “Let me send a greeting to Juan Izquierdo’s family, as today was a very special match for me here. Two years ago, I lost a teammate right here on this same field, for the whole family of Juan.” Izquierdo passed away on August 27, 2024, after being hospitalized for five days following a cardiac failure during a match against San Pablo. Lozano was a starter in that game and remembered his teammate fondly.
With their qualification secured, Boca will face Vasco da Gama in the semifinals, who eliminated Independiente Santa Fe from Colombia. The first match will be played on October 13 or 14 at La Bombonera, and the second will be on October 20 or 21 at the Estádio São Januário. The other semifinal will pit the winners of Atlético Mineiro-Santos and Cienciano-Montevideo City Torque against each other, with the final scheduled for Saturday, November 21 at the Metropolitano Stadium in Barranquilla. Before these international matches, Boca resumes local competition by visiting San Lorenzo this Sunday at 14:45 in the Torneo Clausura, and will then face Racing on September 27 in the quarterfinals of the Copa Argentina.
Source: www.infobae.com
