An Important Step Towards Another Boca Title.

By: Mauro | August 14th, 2008

Last night’s match was a very exciting one which had a little of everything, nice ball movement, close tough marking/fouls, explosive offense, great saves by the keepers and even a club record equaled.

Boca and Arsenal hit the ground running from the get go. Jesús Dátolo was unstoppable up the left side, firing up the flank at will. He and Fabián Vargas made a great pairing on that side of the pitch creating all kinds of trouble at the back for Arsenal. Along with this tactic, Boca was able to lob the ball over the defenders towards Rodrigo Palacio, back after 50 days of no football, who was able to beat most of the Arsenal defenders with relative ease.

With this volume of attacking at the Arsenal front door, it was only a matter of time before Boca established the difference on the score sheet that was already evident on the pitch. On one of Dátolo’s runs he ended p near the otouchline inside the penalty area where, Casteglione tok him down once he was inside the penalty area and the ref blew his whistle for the foul. Penalty. Palermo on deck.

Most days it’s a sure goal. Today? Palermo had me thinking of a hot summer day back in 1999 when wearing the Argentine national team jersey he failed to convert 3 penalties (3!!!) against Colombia. At the time, I had a Colombian girlfriend and I remember having to swallow her three goal celebrations and I couldn’t hate that man or Marcelo Bielsa (then Argentina coach) anymore than I did on that day. But enough about me, Palermo steps up to the spot, drills it right at Arsenal keeper Cuenca who bobbles it and Palermo takes the rebound and in true Palermo (read buffoon) fashion buries it as he falls to the pitch. 1-0 to Boca.

Despite Boca’s ability to arrive at the Arsenal penalty area with ease, the team from Sarandi seemed not to back down. Off a terrible play in the 25th minute, by usually solid Boca right back Hugo Ibarra, Alejandro Goméz out muscled him for the ball which allowed him to cross the ball into the penalty area and what seemed like slow motion, Facundo Sava’s head found the ball and slammed it past Boca keeper Mauricio Caranta. 1-1.

Arsenal seemed to grow as they found possession of the ball but in their best moment Dátolo’s marker forgot about him and he shot up the left side again where he fired off a cross which was not cleared off of Arsenal’s back line and found a streaking Palacio who then knocked it past Cuenca for the go ahead goal. 2-1 to Boca and the blue and yellows seemed to exhale.

Boca had another chance to score before the end of the first half but failed to extend their lead.

The second half began much differently than the way the first had ended, Arsenal more aggressive and decisive with the ball and making a play for their opponents penalty area. The first ten minutes saw Arsenal miss two chances to score and Boca missed one on the counter and another later when Palermo had a header saved by back up keeper Campestrini.

But Boca’s third goal came in the 44th minute where midfield stalwart Sebastian Battaglia found the ball after a series of rebounds in the penalty area and slamed it past Campestrini who had little chance of keeping it out. 3-1 to Boca. And that was that.

With very little, in two weeks Boca could conceivable lift the Recopa Sudamericana with even a 2-0 loss. Arsenal have a huge uphill climb. While they won the Copa Sudamericana on the basis of their away results, at La Bombonera, they might be able to do very little to keep Boca from earning their 16th international title.

The record equaled? With the bobbled penalty kick, Palermo has equaled Francisco Varallo’s goal scoring record of 194 goals with Boca Juniors. His next goal will make him the leading goal scorer in the history of the club. Most likely this weekend.

Feel free to check the CONMEBOL website for results and information about the Recopa Sudamericana and a little history of the competition.