They had to pass 26 years so that Platense beat again Boca Juniors: Calamar defeated Xeneize 1-0 in the League Tournament and the Vicente López Stadium celebrated a triumph that had a flavor of history, but also of justice. Diego Martínez’s team played a terrible game and collaborated to write a memorable chapter for the team led by the Gómez-Orsi technical duo.
“As you can see that we are playing with Boca, everyone is coming today,” complained a supporter journalist before the start of the match. Entry was delayed and seats were beginning to become scarce. At the Zufriategui street entrance there was a crowd of fans and, among them, Juan’s screamsa boy who approached the fence with his father to try to get a signature on his figurines.
With the Calamar shirt but with the photos of Chiquito Romero and Marcos Rojo in his hand, explained the apparent contradiction with the sensitivity and honesty that only a child has: “I am from Platense, but they are also my idols. They play in Boca and I want their autograph.” What Juan said made sense. In a club that has spent many years in the Ascenso and in a football neighborhood, the presence of a giant never goes unnoticed.
But, did Boca live up to its hierarchy in the stadium that rests on the edge of the Av. General Paz collector? It is almost a rhetorical question for someone who has watched even the summary of the game, but certainly not. Neither Xeneize stood out like a giant, nor did Calamar show that it was in their plans to respect the powerful visitor.
Platense was opportunistic and handsome. Boca was left with one man less quickly and the irresponsibility of Marcos Rojo left Xeneize with ten very early. The locals knew how to take advantage of their numerical superiority and struck first. Once ahead on the scoreboard, far from resting in a conservative stance, they continued to press and exert force to hurt. So, Martínez’s team played uncomfortably and could not move forward.
Boca had defensive imbalances, interference in the associated game and practically no ability to respond to the adverse result. Absolutely the opposite of what he had shown in Santiago against Central Córdoba. That night, with patience and conviction, Boca turned around a 2-0 deficit against Ferroviario. This time, The team did not know what to do against an inferior rival (a priori) and showed its weakest side (although the contingency that he played with one less man is considered).
Boca accustomed its people to the fact that their performances oscillate without judgment between two poles: on the one hand, great games with a good attitude and football display, and, on the other, performances that make it seem that everything fantastic that was previously seen was a mirage. The common denominator is irregularity and uncertainty: The fan never knows what game he is going to see or which side of the coin will fall.
Platense met the weak Boca, the one who falls into despair and pays the consequences. In Vicente López, Matthew Pellegrino He was the scorer and the protagonist of the second biggest ovation of the afternoon (because the first was for the team as a whole). Once referee Nicolás Ramírez blew the final whistle, the players gathered to celebrate the victory at home and The audience gave the feat a standing ovation.
At the end of the day There was recognition for a team that was intelligent and that played bravely against a Boca team that collaborated (a lot) with the result. The celebrations spread in the locker room and also in the vicinity of the field because, in addition to the three points, those of Gómez and Orsi made June 2, 2024 the day that a streak of more than two decades of drought was ended against a multi-time American champion.
The charge from Platense to Boca
Based on Darío Benedetto’s alleged phrase to Diego Martínez, Platense blamed Boca for their 1-0 defeat at the Ciudad de Vicente Lópéz stadium.
“Happy nights, sad mornings,” the forward reportedly told his coach after his birthday celebration and sparked controversy (and memes). El Calamar, after the cloudy day with triumph for the locals, wrote to Xeneize: “Gray days, happy afternoons.”
