Group F of the Copa Libertadores 2023: standings, calendar and results
The campaign for Boca Juniors in the Libertadores continued with a dramatic second win in the continental tournament. After a 0-0 draw on the road against Monagas to begin their group phase, the club returned to La Bombonera for the second match of Group F and faced Pereira. The home side started on the back foot but found a remarkable late victory that changed the mood at the stadium and in the campaign outlook.
Under the watch of a crowd eager for success, Boca faced a difficult start as Pereira controlled much of the play. The visitors opened the scoring through a precise header in the 76th minute, capitalizing on a defensive miscue by Boca. The first leg session had already seen a contentious moment when Andrés Matonte ruled out Juan Quintero’s potential goal following a foul on Pol Fernández, a decision that drew reactions from the stands and the media alike.
What appeared to be another setback transformed into a rallying moment. The venue roared to life as supporters sang the national football anthem-like refrain, and the team battled back. A swift sequence and a critical intervention from Luis Advíncula helped equalize, with a long-range strike finding the net and restoring balance late in the game.
The match extended into stoppage time with Pereira reduced to ten men after Maicol Medina’s dismissal, heightening the tension. In the final moments, a well-placed cross delivered into the box found Alan Varela, whose finish sparked wild scenes and earned Boca a 2-1 victory that felt almost miraculous given the opening trajectory.
GOALS, SUMMARY AND VIDEOS
- The highlight of the match.
- GOOOOOOL OF MOUTH! Alan Varela agonizingly seals the late winner at 2-1.
- The ball finds its way to the net after a determined push from Boca.
- Mouth’s comeback goal! Advíncula’s impressive strike levels the score.
- The stadium erupts as the home side shows character to seize control late.
- PEREIRA’S GOAL! A precise opener that put Boca on the back foot early.
- Mouth pressed with urgency, seeking a path to victory.
- The home crowd still believes as the match wears on.
- Quintero opened the scoring for Pereira with a well-worked header, but the moment proved decisive only for a different outcome.
- Was the Pereira strike a turning point or a fleeting advantage?
- The Bombonera roars as Boca reverses the night’s narrative.
- Boca’s starting XI included Villa from the kickoff.
- The visitors’ tactics tested Boca’s resolve and highlighted the contest’s intensity.
❤️ These are the 11 players who will participate in the team’s first international match as visitors. Today, Group F of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Cup advances into another chapter of this historic campaign. The club will look to build on the emotional win and carry that momentum into the next fixture.
— Deportivo Pereira (@DeporPereiraFC) April 18, 2023
STATISTICS
Source: Goal