River Plate reach Libertadores final despite Boca loss

BUENOS AIRES: Defending champions River Plate booked a place in the final of the Libertadores Cup despite losing a tense semi-final to rivals Boca Juniors at a packed Bombonera.

A goal from 19-year-old Venezuelan forward Jan Hurtado 10 minutes from full-time set up a frantic finale but River held on to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

The “Millionaires” will play the winners of all-Brazilian clash between Flamengo and Gremio in the final in Santiago next month.

Urged on by 50,000 fans, Boca failed to get revenge in a repeat of last year’s final, the second leg of which was played 10,000km away in Madrid – and two weeks behind schedule – after the original match was twice postponed.

The tone was set for a scrappy encounter when the kickoff was held up by 15 minutes to allow groundsmen using leaf-blowers to clear the pitch of thousands of paper sheets released like ticker tape by the fans.

When the match did eventually get under way, it was predictably breathless as Boca – two goals down from the first leg – desperately sought an early breakthrough.

But with Ramon Abila too often an isolated figure up front, Boca struggled for any fluidity, and River’s centre-halves Lucas Quarta and Javier Pinola cleared everything that came their way.

Boca’s Toto Salvio swept the ball into the net after 20 minutes but celebrations were cut short when it was rightly disallowed for a clear handball without the ref needing a video assisted referee (VAR) check.

The ball struck defender Emmanuel Mas on the arm as he collided with teammate Augustin Almendra when flicking on Alexis Mac Allister’s deep free-kick.

River played the more composed football as the half wore on and the nearest Boca came to threatening Franco Armani’s goal was a sliced clearance by Enzo Perez that drew a point-blank reflex save from the Argentina goalkeeper just before half-time.

Boca were better in the second half but still struggled for composure.

Still, substitute Lucas Pratto could have sealed it for River but the striker opted to pass instead of shoot when he burst through on goal towards the end.

Former Manchester United and Juventus centerforward Carlos Tevez – a sub in the first game – played from the start here but failed to create enough chances.

“We left everything on the pitch. There’s nothing more we could do,” Tevez said after the game.

The goal, when it came, was suitably scrappy. Mauro Zarate hoisted a free-kick into the box, Lisandro Lopez won a header and with Armani stranded, Hurtado got the last touch as three Boca players scrambled for the loose ball.

It set up a frantic finish, as Boca peppered River’s box with crosses.

Substitute Sebastian Villa had a shot saved by Armani at his near post, and Mas rose highest to head a free-kick narrowly wide of Armani’s right-hand post at the end of six minutes of injury time.

Brazilian referee Wilton Sampaio handed out eight yellow cards in a niggly match where chances were few and far between.