Boca thrash Recoleta 4-0 to seal 7-1 aggregate in Sudamericana | OneFootball

Boca swept past Recoleta 4-0 in Asunción in the Copa Sudamericana last-16 second leg, closing out the tie 7-1 on aggregate. Santiago Ascacibar, Sebastián Villa, Miguel Merentiel and Alan Velasco got the goals.

According to LaNumer12.com.ar, enforced changes did not disrupt Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s plan, with the side growing into the system and two players handed debuts.

Ascacibar opened the scoring, winning an aerial duel to finish after a Lautaro Blanco centre. Villa then doubled the lead, converting left-footed on the rebound after an Aranda delivery that followed a slick exchange with Dylan Gorosito.

Merentiel made it three, receiving from Milton Delgado, slipping a nutmeg to go through and dinking over the keeper. Velasco came on at half-time and sealed it with a powerful strike into the top corner, set up by Kevin Zenón.

Delgado anchored as the lone holding midfielder and dictated the tempo, also providing Merentiel’s assist. Ascacibar repeatedly broke into the box while contributing defensively.

Enner Valencia debuted 11 minutes into the second half, becoming the second Ecuadorian to wear Boca’s colours, and worked across the pitch without a clear chance. Young defender Facundo Herrera also made his first-team bow and coped solidly in limited minutes.

Arruabarrena’s set-up, with Tomás Aranda operating as a 10 behind the forwards, delivered a commanding display and valuable minutes for returning players.

Source: LaNumer12.com.ar

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”