Boca Juniors vs River Plate: first leg of Copa Libertadores final ends in thrilling draw
Re-live all the action from the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final
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Your support makes all the difference.Boca Juniors and River Plate drew 2-2 Sunday in the delayed first leg of the Copa Libertadores final.
Boca forward Ramon Abila opened the scoring in the 34th minute at La Bombonera Stadium with a powerful left-footed shot into the top left corner.
River striker Lucas Pratto equalized two minutes later, sending the ball into the bottom left corner. Forward Dario Benedetto then made it 2-1 to Boca with a header in first-half stoppage time before Boca defender Carlos Izquierdoz scored an own-goal in the 61st minute.
It's the first time the two Argentine teams have met in the final of South America's equivalent of the Champions League and the he match was postponed on Saturday because torrential rain flooded the stadium.
The second leg is at River's Monumental de Nunez stadium on 24 November. Re-live the action:
Boca Juniors 1-1 River Plate, 45 minutes
Three additional minutes at the end of the first half.
GOAL! Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate, 45+1 minutes
What a brilliant bit of improvisation by substitute Dario Benedetto!
A free-kick centre of the pitch is swung in down the middle and Benedetto, with his back to goal, heads it on and it beats Franco Armani high to his left.
Pandemonium at the La Bombonera!
HALF TIME: Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate
After a surprisingly lacklustre opening half hour, the game sprung into life with Abila's near-post finish for Boca, and then Lucas Pratto's response 10 seconds later made for a remarkable atmosphere.
But the Boca fans were cheering once again with Benedetto's header on the stroke of half-time.
It's sure to be an intriguing second-half. Here's the emotion a Superclasico goal can bring, as Benedetto wheels off to celebrate his goal.
SECOND HALF: Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate
We're back underway at the La Bombonera - no changes at half-time for either side, and a reminder Boca have already used one substitution.
Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate, 48 minutes
Ramon Abila is booked for diving in the box, but he's screaming at the referee - he thinks its a penalty! Replays show that Abila did indeed go down far too easily.
Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate, 54 minutes
Game is back and forth at the moment, with neither team quite able to find that killer ball in the final third.
Boca Juniors 2-1 River Plate, 56 minutes
An opening emerges for River Plate, but they don't make the most of it as Pratto's cross is anticipated well by Rossi.
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