With his goalkeeper Matías Mansilla as a hero, Students of La Plata eliminated 3-1 on penalties Boca Juniors on Tuesday in Córdoba, following a 1-1 tie in the 90 minutes, and won the right to play in the final of the Cup of the Argentine League Sunday before Velez Sarsfield.
In Santiago del Estero, “Pincha” will seek to add its 16th star in history and secure a passport to the 2025 Copa Libertadores.
As happened on Sunday in the other semifinal -Vélez’s victory over Argentinos Juniors by 4-2, following tying at zero-, the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium was also the scene of a dramatic definition from the 12 steps.
And when everything suggested that a specialist goalkeeper like Sergio “Chiquito” Romero might become key in that instance, it was his colleague Mansilla who became a hero, by containing the shots of the Uruguayan Edinson Cavani and Jorge Figal.
For Estudiantes, Eros Mancuso, Guido Carrillo and the Uruguayan Mauro Méndez scored correctly, while Romero stopped the shot of the Colombian Edwin Cetré.
For Boca Juniors only Kevin Zenón converted. In addition to Cavani and Figal, Uruguayan Miguel Merentiel also missed his shot (crossbar).
“Xeneize”, which had just eliminated its eternal rival River Plate in the quarterfinals, was much superior during the first hour of play, but took a slim advantage, with a goal from Merentiel in the 40th minute.
In the second half, “Pincha” improved with the changes and reached the tie at 75 with a penalty converted by substitute Cetré. In the previous play, Cristian Lema saw the red card and left Boca with ten.
“xeneize” coach Diego Martínez was able to line up his “gala” team, with Cavani-Merentiel as the attacking duo, plus the return following suspension of midfielder Cristian Medina.
In the “Pincha”, Eduardo Dominguez chose to strengthen the midfield with Fernando Zuqui and left Cetré – the Colombian arrived with a muscle discomfort – and Javier Correa on the bench.
The initial bet did not work out for the “Pincha” coach. Before half an hour of play, Boca had already had three clear chances to break the deadlock.
Two saves were “miraculous”: the first was a clearance on the line by Luciano Lollo, following a shot by Medina that was deflected by goalkeeper Mansilla. And the second, a shot by Merentiel that hit the post and was then rejected “in-extremis” by the “puncture” defense. In addition, Mansilla flew to clear a free kick from Zenón that went in.
At that time, “Xeneize” prevailed in all aspects of the game. Estudiantes only managed to try a counterattack, Carrillo’s initial header was already far away, rejected with some difficulty by Romero as soon as the match started.
And Boca found the advantage it long deserved with a goal “made in Martínez”: Zenón enabled Luis Advíncula, the Peruvian overflowed his side and took the center that Merentiel defined into the net.
It seemed highly likely that Dominguez would move the bench at halftime, but he decided to wait. And Boca continued to dominate. Medina was very close to increasing.
Now with Cetré on the court, plus the subsequent contributions of Javier Correa and Pablo Piatti, Estudiantes stopped a few meters ahead, took possession of the ball and went in search of the tie that they achieved at 75, facilitated by the recklessness of Cristian Lema .
The Boca defender collided with his leg in the face of Uruguayan Tiago Palacios in an attempt to clear the area. Penalty and second yellow for Lema. Cetré struck down a specialist like Romero.
Tie at one and Boca with ten. “Pincha” knew it was his time. And from then until the end it was all Domínguez’s team, which collided with the wall erected by Romero.
Boca, which last year reached the final of the Copa Libertadores following winning three consecutive penalties, might not this time. Estudiantes, who had just beaten “Xeneize” in their last four matches once morest each other, did it once more and reached the final with Vélez, to be played at the modern Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero.
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