Boca reserves thrashed their rivals, reached the semis and will face River | OneFootball

In an impeccable display of authority, Boca’s reserve team convincingly beat Atlético Tucumán 3-0 to book a place among the top four in the 2026 Torneo Proyección Apertura. In the semifinal, they will face River.

The quarterfinal clash saw the blue-and-gold side host the tough Tucumán outfit at the Ezeiza facilities. From the opening whistle, the match became physical, fiercely contested, and with very little room for flowing team play. However, the Xeneize relied on individual talent to quickly break down the visitors’ resistance and take tactical control of the contest.

Just six minutes into the first half, Tomás Márquez produced a moment of magic and sparked joy among Boca fans. With a spectacular right-footed strike from outside the box that flew straight into the top corner, the midfielder opened the scoring. Despite the comfort of the lead, the visitors caused some concern with two dangerous chances before halftime, testing the ever-reliable defensive solidity of the home side.

In the second half, the flow of the match did not change much, but the hosts showed notable tactical intelligence. The team weathered the difficult moments with maturity and, thanks to the striker’s instinct of Gonzalo Gelini, who scored twice, put the game to bed. In this way, the club from La Ribera reaffirmed its status as the absolute favorite in the youth category.

Boca’s reserve team will play River in the semifinal

After getting past this tough hurdle, the next challenge is the one the youngsters have been waiting for most: the semifinals will feature a new edition of Argentine football’s Superclásico. The crucial match will once again be played on the Boca Predio pitch, an advantage earned because Boca’s youngsters finished as the outright leaders of Group B with 36 points.

Tomás Márquez, scorer of Boca reserves’ first goal against Atlético Tucumán. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

Meanwhile, Marcelo Escudero’s side finished second in Zone A with 31 points and come into the match after eliminating Lanús 3-1. It is worth noting that, for this winner-takes-all showdown, the rules stipulate that if the score is level after the 90 regulation minutes, there will be 30 minutes of extra time, divided into two 15-minute halves.

If the deadlock remains on the scoreboard, the coveted place in the final will be decided by the unavoidable penalty shootout. On the other side of the bracket, the other finalist will come from the matchup between Vélez Sarsfield and Racing Club.

The most recent meeting gives everyone in La Ribera hope of taking another step toward the title. In the regular phase of this same competition, the two teams faced each other in the interzonal match played in Ezeiza, which ended in a solid 2-0 home win.

Gonzalo Gelini scored twice. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

The starting lineup

Arruabarrena watching the reserves

The newly appointed first-team coaching staff was present at the training ground where the Torneo Proyección quarterfinal match was played. El Vasco, together with his assistants and Marcelo Delgado, sat together in the stands watching the youngsters.

In addition to the coaching staff, their players were also there. They will train in the only afternoon session scheduled for today after having Friday off. The preseason led by El Vasco will continue with a week-long training camp.

Keep reading:

It’s not Villa: the winger Rodolfo Arruabarrena asked for to strengthen Boca’s attack

When Boca vs River will be played, the reserve Superclásico semifinal: kickoff time and how to watch it

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.