Boca Juniors survive penalty drama as Aranda panenka miss forces extra tension

Boca Juniors advanced to the round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana on Thursday night, but not before a nerve-racking penalty shootout that almost slipped away when young forward Tomás Aranda attempted a panenka with the match on his foot.

After losing 1-0 to O’Higgins in regular time in Chile and tying the aggregate 1-1, Boca prevailed 4-3 in the penalty shootout. The decisive kick came from left-back Lautaro Blanco, but it was Aranda’s missed chance that dominated the post-match conversation.

The penalty that could have sealed it

Boca had already seen O’Higgins miss two of their first three penalties — Thiago Vecino fired over the crossbar and Luis Pavez had his shot saved by goalkeeper Álvaro Montero. When Aranda stepped up for Boca’s fourth penalty, a successful conversion would have ended the tie.

Instead, the 21-year-old tried to chip the ball down the middle. O’Higgins goalkeeper Omar Carabalí stood his ground, caught the ball easily, and immediately celebrated in front of Aranda. The miss forced Boca to take a fifth penalty, which Blanco calmly converted to seal the 4-3 win.

Aranda’s night before the miss

Before the penalty miss, Aranda had been one of Boca’s most dangerous attackers in a generally poor team performance. He created the team’s clearest chances and forced a spectacular save from Carabalí in the final moments of regular time with a shot heading for the top corner. That save denied Boca the equaliser that would have won the tie in normal time.

The miss was a harsh end to an otherwise positive individual display. Aranda had been the main creative spark for Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side, but his risky choice in the shootout will likely be scrutinised in the days ahead.

Blanco seals the deal

Lautaro Blanco, normally a left-back, stepped up for the fifth penalty with the score at 3-2 in Boca’s favour. He sent Carabalí the wrong way and converted, sparking celebrations among the Boca players and staff. The win came after a much tougher tie than expected against the Chilean side, who had taken the lead early in the match and defended stubbornly.

What’s next for Boca

Boca will face Deportivo Recoleta of Paraguay in the round of 16. The tie is scheduled for later in the year, and Boca will be expected to progress without the same level of drama. For now, Arruabarrena’s side can breathe again after a tie that exposed significant weaknesses in their collective performance.

The miss by Aranda will be a talking point, but it also highlighted the pressure on young players in high-stakes situations. Boca’s squad depth and composure under pressure will need to improve if they are to go deep in the tournament.

Source: Clarin Deportes – https://www.clarin.com/deportes/aranda-penal-sufrio-boca-triunfo-pies-quiso-picar-aguantar-reproche-arquero-ohiggins_0_RQwHqPrQeD.html