Boca Juniors Beat O’Higgins on Penalties to Reach Copa Sudamericana Round of 16

Boca Juniors booked their place in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 on Thursday night, overcoming a 1-0 defeat to O’Higgins in Rancagua by winning the penalty shootout 4-3. The victory at Estadio El Teniente levelled the tie at 1-1 on aggregate after Boca had won the first leg in Buenos Aires by the same scoreline, sending Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s side through to face Paraguayan outfit Recoleta.

The match was a tense, scrappy affair for long stretches, with neither side able to impose itself until O’Higgins found the breakthrough midway through the second half. The Chilean side pushed for a second goal that would have won the tie in regulation time, but Boca held on to force a shootout, where two O’Higgins misses proved decisive.

First Half: Boca Control, Few Clear Chances

Boca started the brighter of the two sides, dominating possession in the opening stages without creating clear-cut chances. O’Higgins struggled to build attacks from deep, often forced into long balls that Boca’s defence handled comfortably. The first real opportunity fell to the hosts just before the hour mark, when centre-back Miguel Brizuela rose to meet a free kick and directed a header on target, forcing Boca goalkeeper Álvaro Montero into a save.

Boca responded almost immediately. Tomás Aranda picked up the ball on the break and drove forward, beating a defender before firing a shot that curled just wide of Omar Carabalí’s left post. It was the closest either side came in a first half that lacked rhythm and sharpness in the final third.

O’Higgins Strike Back Through González

The game opened up after the hour mark, and the decisive moment arrived in the 72nd minute. Francisco González collected the ball inside the box and fired a finish past Montero to give O’Higgins a 1-0 lead on the night and level the aggregate score. The goal intensified the match, with both teams pushing for a winner.

Boca nearly regained the aggregate lead almost immediately. Substitute Leonel Flores, who had replaced Sebastián Villa in the 57th minute, struck the post in the 77th minute with a driven effort that left Carabalí beaten. O’Higgins had their own chances, most notably a Thiago Vecino header that sailed straight into Montero’s grasp, and Carabalí made two sharp saves late on to deny Aranda and keep the tie alive.

Penalty Drama: Boca Hold Nerve

The match went straight to penalties, with no extra time played. O’Higgins blinked first: Uruguay forward Thiago Vecino saw his spot kick saved, and Luis Pavez fired wide, giving Boca a decisive advantage. Tomás Aranda missed for the Argentine side, but the Xeneizes converted their other four attempts to win the shootout 4-3.

Colombian referee Wilmar Roldán booked five players during the match: Leandro Lozano, Nicolás Figal, Leandro Paredes and Leonel Flores for Boca, and Tomás Avilés and Felipe Faúndez for O’Higgins.

Key facts

Next Up: Recoleta in Round of 16

Boca will now face Recoleta, a Paraguayan side that has reached the last 16 of the competition for the first time. The tie is scheduled to be played in August, with dates and venues yet to be confirmed. For O’Higgins, the defeat ends a spirited Sudamericana campaign that saw them push a historically strong Argentine side to the limit in front of their home fans.

The result keeps Boca’s hopes of a deep run in the competition alive, though Arruabarrena will be aware that his side needs to improve its attacking output after failing to score in open play across both legs of this playoff.

Source: Mundo Deportivo – https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/internacional/20260731/1004211824/1-0-penaltis-salvan-boca.html