At the Defensores del Chaco stadium in Asuncion, Paraguay, Boca Juniors of Argentina were able to get a convincing 2-1 win away from home against Cerro Porteño of Paraguay. This win puts them in a good position to qualify to the quarterfinals of the 2016 Copa Libertadores.
Attacking first half
In the first half, the Argentine side attacked much more than that of their Paraguayan opponents. In the second minute, Nicolas Lodeiro was able to play the ball on the left to Pablo Perez for the first shot on goal. However, Perez's shot ended up goes way wide of Antony Silva's goal.
Cerro's first chance on goal came five minutes later when a ball was played to Cecillo Dominguez as he looked to center the ball, Daniel Diaz was able to take the ball out in time before Dominguez's ball got to an attacking player inside the box.
Another chance for Boca came in the 24th minute when a ball is played from the center to Juan Manuel Insaurralde, but the defender’s header was unable to get his effort onto goal as his ball went wide of Silva’s goal. Finally five minutes, Boca Juniors scored from Carlos Tevez. As the ball was whipped in on the right from Marcelo Meli to El Apache, the club idol was able to produce a powerful header, as he saw the ball go right past Silva for the crucial opening and away goal. With that goal, Tevez got his fourth goal of the Copa Libertadores.
The home side desperately needed to get goals as soon as possible and the biggest chance of the half came in the 39th minute when Guilermo Beltran was free with a chance on goal. He attempted to score off a bicycle kick, however his shot went wide of Augustin Orion’s goal to deny El Ciclon a goal in the first 45 minutes.
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Exclamation point
Drama increased in the 55th minute, a foul on Dominguez from Daniel Diaz inside the box prompted referee Francisco Chacón to give Cerro a penalty, despite it being a questionable call. Luis Leal was the man to take the spot-kick but his shot went down and low straight onto goal, leaving Orion to make a wonderful diving save on the left to deny the equalizer for the hosts.
Four minutes later, Boca Juniors doubled their lead from Nicolas Lodeiro. Tevez was able to play the ball after going past two defenders and the Uruguayan midfielder was free onto goal and on and one-on-one, was able to beat the goalkeeper Silva and score past him to give Boca two crucial away goals in this tie.
In the 83rd minute, Cerro Porteño were awarded another penalty, this time from a foul from Cristian Erbes to Dominguez. The forward took the spot kick this time and with oozing confidence, was able to chip the ball past Orion to give a crucial goal for the hosts, but it would end like that with victory for the vistors.
Coming up
Cerro Porteño will now need to produce a miracle at La Bombonera next week in Buenos AIres and score at least two goals to see them advance to the quarterfinal, while Boca will need to hold on as much as they can as they look towards the quarterfinals.