The night of Thursday, August 22, will be remembered by the fans of Boca Juniors as one of the most painful in the club’s recent history. In a match full of emotions and drama, the Argentine team was eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana in the round of 16, after losing in a penalty shootout to Cruzeiro at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte.
The meeting started unfavorably for Mouth from the first minute. Just 12 seconds into the match, Luis Advíncula was sent off for a foul that the referee deemed worthy of a direct red card.
This early expulsion left the team led by Diego Martínez with ten men for practically the entire match, greatly complicating their chances of advancing in the tournament. Despite the adversity, Boca showed character and determination.
Cruzeiro took advantage of the numerical advantage and took the lead with a goal from Matheus Henrique in the 8th minute. The situation became even more complicated for the xeneizes when Walace scored the second goal for the Brazilian team in the 20th minute. With a 2-0 deficit and one man less, the outlook looked bleak for Mouth.
However, the Argentine team did not give up. Just before the end of the first half, Milton Giménez managed to score for Boca with a goal that gave hope back to the fans and the team. With the score at 2-1, Boca went into the second half with the mission of tying the match and forcing a penalty shootout.
The second half was an intense battle. Mouthwith one man less, fought with all their heart and managed to keep Cruzeiro at bay, preventing them from extending their lead. The defense and goalkeeper Sergio Romero were essential to keep the score and give the team a chance to tie the game. Despite the opportunities created, the equalizing goal did not come during the 90 minutes of regulation time.
Very high
With the score tied at 2-2, the match was decided by a penalty shootout. The tension was palpable in the stadium and among the fans following the match from Argentina. Mouth He had demonstrated in the past his ability to emerge victorious in these instances, but this time luck was not on his side.
The penalty shootout began with Cruzeiro taking the lead. Players from both teams showed nerves of steel, scoring their respective penalties. However, luck turned its back on Cruzeiro. Mouth when Miguel Merentiel missed the final penalty, sending the ball over the crossbar.
