Independiente eliminated Boca Juniors and La Bombonera exploded.

Independiente risked their lives in their visit to La Bombonera and were rewarded with a 1-0 win after 90 minutes of fighting and football, against a Boca Juniors side that was lost and had no reaction, earning them their third spot in the semifinals of the Apertura tournament.

On a cold night at La Bombonera, Boca Juniors and Independiente offered a high-intensity match, but lacked excitement and clarity. The scoreless draw reflected a first half that left more friction than football, with isolated moments of danger, especially for the home team.

The first big opportunity fell to Boca Juniors, who capitalized on a precise cross from Sebastián Palacios, allowing Miguel Merentiel to fire a close-range shot from the penalty spot. However, Rodrigo Rey responded with a key save to keep the score at zero.

Boca Juniors

Gentleness

Independiente was quick to respond. From a set piece, one of the weapons that threatened to change the course of the game, Iván Valdéz headed the ball home, though it lacked power or positioning, making it easy for Agustín Marchesín to contain it.

As the minutes ticked by, Boca Juniors began to corner Los Rojos in their own half. Delgado pushed forward, and the mobility of Belmonte, Palacios, and Merentiel allowed the home side to possess possession and control the pace. However, their territorial dominance didn't translate into fluid play or constant threat.

In this context, Independiente managed to manage the pace wisely. Although they lost ground at times, they maintained their emotional control of the match and forced Boca to settle for the counterattack. Merentiel and Zenón on the left, and Palacios and Giménez on the right, were the names chosen to exploit this strategy. But the truth is that, for long stretches, both teams passed the ball to each other in unimportant areas.

In the 35th minute, Marchesín excelled again, saving a shot inside the six-yard box. El Rojo, with scattered attacks, found space to create problems, albeit without any force. Boca, on the other hand, had the clearest chances: Merentiel lost a one-on-one with Rey, and just a minute later, Palacios missed a rare opportunity with an open goal after a defensive error.

Boca Juniors

Gentleness

The first half ended goalless, but Boca Juniors had a commanding advantage in chances. Even so, the game was more tense than lucid, with a clear lack of creativity.

The second half started with the same nuances: a lot of contests, little play, and the feeling that both teams' creative players had yet to enter the game. The frenetic pace and speed with which they chose to play made the game compelling due to its intensity, but the chances on goal were lacking.

With tensions looming at La Bombonera, Independiente looked to be precise to avoid Xeneize counterattacks. Cabral and Montiel were the designated drivers. And that determination earned them the opening goal in the 18th minute. Colombian Ángulo anticipated a corner kick from the visitors and raced into the box to finish past Marchesín.

La Bombonera erupted with a war cry: "Move Boca, move..." And Boca fell into despair, unable to find a way past Rey. The visitors grew in possession, and the game was played the way Vaccari's team wanted.

Boca, lacking ideas, relied on long shots that were always rejected by the visiting defense, further inflaming the anger of the Xeneizes fans, who targeted all the protagonists.

With Boca Juniors out, Independiente will play against Huracán next week at the Libertadores de América.

It's going to be a tough week for Xeneize. Riquelme will have to find urgent solutions to calm the fans' anger.