Newell's Old Boys gets in the semifinals of the Libertadores by defeating Boca Juniors in a shootout with 26 penalty shootout

Last update 30 May, 2013 por Julio Muñoz

Newell's Old Boys qualified for the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores by beating Boca Juniors in a penalty shootout that went all the way to the 26 releases, and that it was decided in favor of the rojinegros by 10-9. An unforgettable game for the general public and could not be overlooked Hanging by Football.

In a tense penalty shoot-out in which the tie was resolved after both teams scored ineffectively in 180 minutes of play, Boca Juniors star, Juan Román Riquelme, missed a penalty and the local goalkeeper, Nahuel Guzmán, stopped two. The classification rewards the best Argentine team of the season, who also leads the League a year after suffering in the relegation places, with coach Gerardo Martino as the main factor in that comeback.

The Rosario team dominated a good part of the first half with a consistent development of the game supported by Lucas Bernardi and Pablo Pérez, to which the boquenses responded solidly for the cut although without too many possibilities of attack. Riquelme lacked time and space to signal the exit to Boca Juniors and at the other end of the field the locals Maxi Rodríguez, Víctor Figueroa and Ignacio Scocco were unable to capitalize on the control of the party that their media exercised behind their backs.

In that context, the shock became more and more predictable, they both went as far as they could, they saved efforts and Newell's domain was less and less deep and the lack of surprise ended up moving him away from the area of ​​a lukewarm Boca Juniors. By taking charge of the bad moment you are going through, the team led by Carlos Bianchi was overly cautious and even fell into stinginess while Newell's at times respected him more than necessary.

In the second half, Gerardo Martino's formation tried to settle in the rival field and pressed dynamically, but on the first occasion Boca Juniors had, striker Nico Blandi headed straight into Guzmán's goal at the 52 minutes and Milton Casco intervened, which promptly rejected.

Riquelme put the team on his shoulders, generated three consecutive goal situations and assisted Blandi, who crashed the ball into a post with a header to the 57. Immediately, Boca Juniors was left with ten players due to the expulsion of side Clemente Rodríguez for a foul and verbal excess. The match heated up and due to numerical superiority Newell's multiplied their pressure on the rival area, although without clarity in front of a retreated Boca team. At this point, Riquelme's contribution was already minimal for Boca, team in which the goalkeeper Orión stood out.

there was no case, zero was immovable, as it was last week in 'La Bombonera'. Penalties qualified Newell's Old Boys.