Boca Quailifies, As Expected.

By: Mauro | April 23rd, 2008

To deny Boca… at home, against the weakest team in their group and with Riquelme on the pitch, is like denying gifts to children on Christmas morning. The stalemate will not last very long before a goal is scored.

Last year, Boca found themselves in pretty much the same predicament only having to score 6 goals against Bolivar (the then group minnow), at home in the last match of the group stage, to advance to the knock-out round. And they qualified. And this time, with only a 5 goal difference to cover, I knew they had it in the bag. The only thing left to find out was who was going home? Atlas or Colo Colo?

Last night, Boca, overall, played a very slow, plodding match, (after the first 20 minutes in which they were unrelenting) at a tempo of very little urgency to score more than the two goals they had in the bag at that point. The first off a header by Gabriel Paletta with service from Riquelme. The second a great play on the left by Jesus Dátolo. And that slow pace continued into the rest of the match, Boca retreating into their own box at one point, looking like they were playing the counterattack and allowing Maracaibo to have a few chances on goal. In the 73rd minute, Riquelme scooped the ball over Maracaibo keeper, Juan Henao, for the third goal.

At the end of time, Boca were up 3-0. The match in Santiago was over. The fans in La Bombonera were celebrating another agonizing, last minute win to send them through. Like I’ve said in the past, Boca are something special at home especially with Riquelme’s foot on the ball. While they did find a way to win and qualify, they did leave much to be desired in the realm of team play. One could even say that individuals won this match and not the team. After all, it doesn’t take much to believe that Boca has better players than Maracaibo. Call it what you want to call it, Boca have some crazy good luck on their hands and qualified by the skin of their teeth on a single goal over Colo Colo.

I had them covering the goal difference, winning 6-0, but I was assuming they would do it outright and qualify regardless. The draw in Santiago only made matters worse for Colo Colo and easy for Boca.

Check the CONMEBOL website for final Group 3 standings and results.