GOLAZONEWSBoca Juniors reach Copa Sudamericana final after defeating Vasco
- Boca Juniors beat Vasco da Gama 3-1 at the Maracanã.
- The victory secures Boca's place in the Copa Sudamericana final.
- The match was marked by tensions between players from both sides.
Boca Juniors advanced to the Copa Sudamericana final after overturning a first-leg deficit with a 3-1 victory over Vasco da Gama at the Maracanã on Tuesday. Despite Vasco holding a 1-0 lead from the first encounter at La Bombonera, goals from Lautaro Di Lollo, Miguel Merentiel, and Leandro Paredes sealed the result for the Argentine side. Puma Rodríguez scored the lone goal for the Brazilian club.
The fixture was fueled by off-field provocations. Leandro Paredes stated that the Boca squad felt disrespected by a social media post from Vasco's Thiago Mendes, which depicted him tearing a Boca crest. Following the elimination of the Brazilian side, Boca midfielder Leonel Flores responded by posting an image of himself tearing the Vasco crest.
Following the final whistle, the Boca Juniors delegation celebrated their qualification by playing loud music as they departed the stadium.