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There was no 42-pass team goal, but compared to today’s Manchester derby at the Etihad, the Boca Juniors-River Plate Copa Libertadores final seemed like it was being played on another planet entirely. La Bombonera was rocking for this historic Superclásico after Saturday’s scheduled kick-off was pushed back a day due to torrential rain, and although the pitch was certainly still feeling the effects of yesterday’s downpour, the action in the stands and out on the pitch was truly superb.
Here’s a selection of #SCENES from the first leg in Buenos Aires.
Postales de una tarde INOLVIDABLE en La Bombonera pic.twitter.com/BpQrSu5XfE
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) November 11, 2018
¡La Bombonera ya está lista para el superclásico! pic.twitter.com/hqgFSAse68
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) November 11, 2018
¡Así fue el recibimiento de #Boca!#JugamosTodos#VamosBoca pic.twitter.com/Z1Iumg61pU
— Boca Jrs. Oficial (@BocaJrsOficial) November 11, 2018
And the River Plate supporters outside El Monumental — the site of the second leg on Nov. 24 — were putting on a show of their own.
La gran final de ida se juega en la Bombonera, pero el Monumental también está lleno.
Todo eso genera la #CONMEBOLLibertadores.@CARPoficial pic.twitter.com/o2YaI9ICzZ
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@Libertadores) November 11, 2018
The action began with Cristian Pavon needing an early substitution. The striker wasn’t happy about going down with a bit of hamstring twang.
This is what it means
Cristian Pavon leaves the pitch in tears after picking up an injury in the #Superclasico pic.twitter.com/6B15teO0RO— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) November 11, 2018
However, in the 34th minute, Boca took the lead through Ramon Abila. His initial shot was saved, but he stormed home the rebound to send the stadium into raptures.
GOL de Ramón Ábila.#BOCA se va al frente con gol de Wanchope. #LibertadoresEnFD #BOCAvsRIVER pic.twitter.com/PRPHpZvHFr
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
River Plate’s response was immediate. Directly following the restart, Lucas Pratto equalized. (The away goals rule is not at play in the Libertadores final.)
GOL de Pratto... ¿qué está pasando aquí? Es la #LibertadoresEnFD
Desde el saque de reinicio se va #RIVER al ataque y consigue el empate.#BOCAvsRIVER pic.twitter.com/Wvwsg4LKNN— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
But just before halftime, Pavon’s substitute, Dario Benedetto, restored Boca’s lead.
GOL de Benedetto. #BOCA retoma la ventaja ante #RIVER con un cabezazo preciso y travieso de Pipa. #LibertadoresEnFD #BOCAvsRIVER pic.twitter.com/l8bo1wS1Xo
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
The Bombonera was pleased with that one.
In the 61st minute, River Plate again found an equalizer after Carlos Izquierdoz was forced into an unfortunate own goal off a set piece.
GOL de River Plate.
Izquierdoz en propia puerta y se pone en empate el #BOCAvsRIVER de #LibertadoresEnFD pic.twitter.com/LhqJxWNkyv— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
34-year-old Carlos Tevez then entered the fray in the 73rd minute.
Ya está Tévez en el campo con #BocaJuniors para aportar experiencia y buscar el resultado. #LibertadoresEnFD #BOCAvsRIVER pic.twitter.com/1DC1PFAuLG
— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
Tevez almost setup Benedetto for a late winner, but Franco Armani pulled off a huge save to keep things at 2-2.
A R M A N I
El arquero de #RiverPlate salva la derrota de su equipo en un frente a frente dramático contra Benedetto. #LibertadoresEnFD #BOCAvsRIVER pic.twitter.com/a9ozr4ZYPA— FOX Deportes (@FOXDeportes) November 11, 2018
Gracious me, that was something. Let’s do it all again on Saturday, Nov. 24, at El Monumental. The home side will be slight favorites, but again, the away goals rule does not apply, so things are on a knife-edge.
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