SEO Title: Boca Juniors reach Copa Sudamericana semi-finals after São Paulo draw
SEO Description: Boca Juniors eliminated São Paulo after a 1-1 draw at Morumbi, with a tightly judged VAR offside call against Ryan Francisco drawing anger from Dorival Júnior.
At Morumbi, where São Paulo needed to overturn a one-goal deficit, Boca Juniors left with the tie under control and a place in the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals. The Argentine side drew 1-1 in Brazil, protecting the 1-0 advantage earned in the first leg and setting up an October meeting with Vasco.
Boca carry their first-leg edge through São Paulo
The visitors arrived in the city with a narrow lead but were not portrayed as a side prepared simply to retreat around their own penalty area. Boca began by putting pressure on São Paulo and were described in Spain as looking like the dominant Boca of previous eras.
- Boca Juniors won the first match 1-0.
- The return fixture at Morumbi finished 1-1.
- The Argentine club progressed to the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals.
- Vasco will be Boca’s opponents in October.
The result brought a sharp contrast in moods at full time: Boca collected the reward of progression, while São Paulo were left focused on the decision that denied them a potentially decisive moment.
VAR ruling changes the night
The key incident came after the interval. Ryan Francisco had only just been introduced when he found the net with his first involvement, appearing to give São Paulo an equaliser. The goal, however, did not stand.
After a review lasting around three minutes, VAR identified an offside against the forward. The position was characterised as extremely close, and the decision prompted a furious reaction from São Paulo coach Dorival Júnior.
- Ryan Francisco came on as a substitute in the second half.
- He scored with his first touch of the match.
- VAR reviewed the move for roughly three minutes.
- The strike was ruled out for a marginal offside.
Spanish attention on Boca and the controversy
Spain’s football press gave prominence both to Boca’s performance and to the disputed offside call in São Paulo. One assessment praised the Argentine team’s authority while presenting the VAR intervention as the moment that prevented the hosts from changing the tie.
The broader verdict was that Boca returned to prominence amid controversy: a team willing to press in Morumbi, yet one whose qualification will also be remembered for the narrowest of offside margins against Ryan Francisco.
