Boca boss Carlos Ischia made one last-minute change as Juan Román Riquelme was taken out of the starting lineup in an effort to rest him for the Copa Libertadores match against Atlas as midweek.  So Leandro Gracián was asked to help out, and disappointed mightily.  His lack of play and apparent desire to fight on despite adverse situations in the first half.   Even though neither team dominated the action, it was Verón and his Estudiantes cohorts that barely edged out the visitors.  

In the second half roles reversed and it was Boca that dictated the pace of the game.  With more controlled passing compared to the inability of Estudiantes to get the ball to Verón.   Boca had opportunities but their overall play resembled more that team that took the field against San Lorenzo than the one that played River or Cruzeiro.    In the 75th minute, Verón hit paydirt when he got to his target and Ezequiel Maggiolo pounced on the ball and beat Mauricio Caranta.  In the replay it was evident that Jonathan Maidana missed his assignment and allowed Maggiolo to get to the ball.  Maidana was the weakest link in that Boca backline, and that proved to be the end of the Xeneizes in La Plata.  

 

Boca were not able to muster any significant threats to Mariano Andujar and they would end up slipping even further after Vélez Sarsfield won and leapfrogged over them.  River also was able to bounce back against Gimnasia LP at El Monumental in front of a fairly tepid crowd who still felt the pain of their midweek elimination against nine-man San Lorenzo.  This win help River keep pace with Estudiantes as the season reaches the final stretch.  

 

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