Boca Juniors defeated River Plate 2-0 at La Bombonera in Matchday 15 of the Argentine Apertura, securing a place in the next stage of the tournament and putting River’s Copa Libertadores 2026 qualification in doubt.
The match, watched by a full stadium and international figures including Dua Lipa, was defined by goals at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. Exequiel Zeballos opened the scoring in the 45th minute, finishing a play inside the box, and Miguel Merentiel extended the lead two minutes after the second half began, after a fast counterattack.
Boca, managed by Claudio Úbeda, displayed control in key moments and maintained defensive solidity to prevent River from reacting. The win placed Boca at the top of the standings and gave the team a direct spot in the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
For River, managed by Marcelo Gallardo, the loss deepened concerns about their campaign. The team remains sixth in its group, currently in a playoff position, and must depend on other results or win the tournament to secure qualification. River sits third in the annual table with 52 points, only one ahead of Argentinos Juniors and Deportivo Riestra, both with one match less.
The defeat also extended an unfavorable statistic: River has lost 12 matches in 2025 after conceding first and has been unable to recover in any of them.
