In the Boca world, it often happens that expectations clash with reality. It occurred four days ago when Diego Martínez’s makeshift team held their own well in Quito’s altitude. And it happened again this Sunday in Florencio Varela, in the 2-2 draw against Defensa y Justicia, on a chilly yet tepid afternoon—both in terms of weather and what Boca conveyed, with their four new signings on the pitch and renewed hope for better performances to come.
If anyone thought matches like Boca’s last away game in the Profesional League (the unmitigated defeat against Platense) were a thing of the past, they were mistaken. Though nearly two months had passed, in the resumption of the domestic tournament, it took just twenty seconds for the home team to show their teeth to a Boca side that, despite some absences due to Wednesday’s cup clash, fielded close to their strongest available squad.
Francisco Meneghini must have noted not only Dylan Gorosito’s debut but also all the adjustments Boca’s coach had worked on during preseason, particularly in the right midfield. The Halcón struck early with the first ball of the game, which didn’t result in a goal because the referee hadn’t signaled, forcing a corner to be retaken, eventually leading to Aaron Molinas finding the net past Chiquito Romero.
With the mission to unsettle a naturally uncomfortable Boca, the home team continued pressing. With an intensity that troubled this Boca side, unable to settle into the game, especially defensively—due to an unfamiliar midfield and a backline where Chilean Gary Medel stood out more for his leadership than his footballing qualities.
At the 12th minute, again from a corner, Molinas (formerly revered by Boca fans for his striking ability) caused havoc in Boca’s defense in the heart of the box, unresolved by anyone, and from a rebound, Santiago Ramos Mingo pounced to make it 1-0. Yes, another goal straight out of Boca’s training ground.
The ghosts of each defeat haunted Martinez’s team, seemingly repeating the history of many Boca visits to Varela with the frustration of not being able to cope with adversity. However, before 20 minutes had passed, another corner (this time in favor) resulted in a handball by Ayrton Portillo, which VAR intervened to award as a penalty for the visitors. Merentiel converted it into a goal, and Boca found themselves at 1-1 without much effort.
But even being back in the game didn’t improve the performance of Martinez’s side, who struggled to find control or cohesion. By the time Molinas scored from outside the box to make it 2-1, the coach had already made several adjustments, aware that things weren’t going as planned.
Therefore, the halftime changes were not surprising: shifting to a back three with the inclusion of a third center-back clarified something that had already been done with Pol as a stopper. It was also logical for Saralegui to move to the right, aiding Belmonte’s shift to a more central and familiar role.
Boca looked more organized thereafter, though defensive issues persisted. The 2-2 came from a well-worked combination in the new front pair: a delightful pass from “La Bestia” allowed Milton Giménez to position himself well and score what was nearly his first goal in blue and gold, although it was officially recorded as an own goal.
With that, and with Defensa unable to maintain their pace, it seemed the rest of the match (almost 40 minutes) could favor Boca. However, they struggled to find depth and lacked the necessary hunger to secure it. Defensa even managed to create more chances and tested Chiquito Romero. Despite Boca’s opportunities to tip the balance, the tepidness of the draw left a sense of frustration, despite having adapted to the adverse circumstances. This was far from the initial expectations.
Match Summary: Defensa y Justicia vs. Boca
Time |
Event Description |
|---|---|
| 21:24 | The match ended: Defensa y Justicia 2 – Boca 2. |
| 21:24 | Brian Aguirre’s left-wing run led to a good pass back to Merentiel. The Uruguayan’s shot deflected off a defender, but Defensa’s goalkeeper made a reflex save to deny the goal. |
| 21:18 | After the 2-2 draw between Boca and Defensa y Justicia. |
| 21:16 | Boca started pressing more after the equalizer, with Saralegui almost scoring the third with a powerful long-range shot that challenged Cristopher Fiermarin. |
| 21:10 | Milton Giménez scored on his Boca debut, leveling the score to 2-2 after a scramble in Defensa’s box. |
| 21:02 | The second half kicked off with Diego Martínez making two changes: Jabes Saralegui and Mateo Mendía came on for Milton Delgado and Dylan Gorosito. |
| 20:49 | Aaron Molinas’ goal for Defensa’s 2-1 lead against Boca. |
| 20:48 | Miguel Merentiel’s goal for Boca’s 1-1 equalizer against Defensa. |
| 20:48 | Santiago Ramos Mingo’s goal for Defensa’s 1-0 lead against Boca. |
| 20:46 | The first half ended: Defensa y Justicia 2 – Boca 1. A lively first 45 minutes at Estadio Norberto Tomaghello, with Defensa y Justicia having more possession and creating more chances. |
| 20:34 | Aaron Molinas scored to make it 2-0 for Defensa y Justicia, but the goal was disallowed due to an earlier foul. |
| 20:12 | Santiago Ramos Mingo scored to give Defensa y Justicia a 1-0 lead from a set-piece. |
| 20:07 | Boca had a clear chance when Lautaro Blanco’s excellent cross-field pass set up Miguel Merentiel, but the Uruguayan forward couldn’t convert under pressure. |
| 19:59 | Action began in Varela as Defensa and Boca kicked off for the sixth round of the Argentine Professional League. Follow the action on Olé. |
| 19:29 | Defensa wore their alternate jersey while Boca wore their home kit. |
| 19:13 | Defensa y Justicia’s confirmed lineup against Boca. |
| 18:52 | Boca’s confirmed lineup against Defensa y Justicia. |
| 18:00 | Dylan Gorosito, replacing Luis Advíncula, made his debut for Boca against Defensa. |
| 17:19 | Brian Aguirre featured as the face of “Today Boca plays!” |
| 15:42 | The summary of the last match between Defensa and Boca. |
| 15:15 | The last encounter between Defensa and Boca ended in a 0-0 draw on February 10 this year at La Bombonera. |
| 14:45 | The summary of the draw between Independiente del Valle and Boca. |
| 14:10 | Boca’s last five matches were listed. |
| 13:45 | Defensa y Justicia’s last five matches were listed. |
| 13:15 | Boca’s probable lineup was detailed. |
| 12:45 | Defensa y Justicia’s possible starting eleven was detailed. |
| 12:15 | Boca’s current form heading into the match was discussed. |
| 11:45 | Defensa y Justicia’s current form heading into the match was discussed. |
| 11:15 | Viewing information for Defensa y Justicia vs. Boca was provided. |
| 10:45 | The match time for Defensa y Justicia vs. Boca was announced. |
| 10:15 | Boca’s visit to Defensa during their Sudamericana series was highlighted. |
