Sports

Boca Juniors Edge São Paulo 1-0 in Sudamericana Quarterfinal First Leg

By OneFootball

São Paulo suffered a 1-0 defeat to Boca Juniors on Tuesday at a full La Bombonera in the first leg of the 2026 Conmebol Sudamericana quarterfinals. The Brazilian side played well in the first half and created a promising opportunity when Luciano headed toward goal, only for the Boca goalkeeper to make the save. After halftime, however, São Paulo struggled to contain Boca's pressure. Less than ten minutes into the second half, Merentiel capitalized on a defensive rebound, went one-on-one with goalkeeper Rafael, and scored to put the home side ahead. Boca Juniors came close to doubling their lead on two occasions: Rafael denied a header with a strong save, and Velasco's long-range shot narrowly missed the post. Late in the match, referee officials issued a red card to São Paulo defender Domingos Duarte following a hard tackle on Paredes. After a VAR review, the red card was rescinded, but no card was given to the Argentine player involved, sparking frustration among the São Paulo squad. Following the loss in Buenos Aires, São Paulo must win by at least two goals at MorumBIS next Tuesday to reach the Sudamericana semifinals. A one-goal victory would send the tie to a penalty shootout, while Boca Juniors would advance with a draw. Before the second leg, São Paulo will play Palmeiras away at Nubank Parque this Saturday in Round 27 of the Brasileirão.