Boca Juniors won Superclásico number 266 in Argentine football by beating River Plate 1-0 this Sunday at the Estadio Más Monumental on matchday 15 of the Apertura Tournament of the Argentine League, in an intense match that was defined by a penalty from Leandro Paredes in the first half’s stoppage time. The Xeneize captain defined with precision and celebrated with the classic Topo Gigio in tribute to Juan Román Riquelme, unleashing visitor euphoria in millionaire territory.
The goal came after the intervention of the VAR. The ball hit Lautaro Rivero’s hand in an attempted attack by Boca, referee Darío Herrera reviewed the play and sanctioned the maximum penalty. Paredes took charge of the execution and placed it in an unapproachable angle for goalkeeper Santiago Beltrán, who was experiencing his first Superclásico between the three sticks after the injuries of Franco Armani and Ezequiel Centurión.
In the second half, the team led by Claudio Úbeda retreated to defend the result and opted for counterattacks, while River tried to react with a more offensive posture without finding the necessary spaces to equalize. Towards the end, Lucas Martínez Quarta fell in the area after contact with Lautaro Blanco and the entire stadium demanded a penalty, but the referee let the action continue in what was the last controversy of a match full of tension.
A triumph with a special flavor
With this result, Boca rises to third place in Zone A of the Apertura Tournament and takes a key step to secure qualification for the round of 16, while River continues second in Zone B with the ticket to the next phase already in its pocket. The victory at the Monumental also extends the difference in the history to six games in favor of Xeneize.
The match had the special flavor of having several debutants in this type of match. On the River side, Beltrán, Aníbal Moreno and Juan Cruz Meza experienced their first Superclásico, while for Boca, Leandro Brey started between the three sticks and Santiago Ascacibar faced his first classic with the blue and gold shirt, adding a dose of novelty to a duel that never loses its intensity.
The previous confrontation between both teams had been in Clausura 2025, when Boca won 2-0 in the Bombonera. In Núñez, on the other hand, the last crossing had been in the hands of River 2-1 in the first half of last year. This Sunday, Xeneize gained revenge at the home of their eternal rival with a victory that gives them air in the table and morale for the remainder of the tournament.