Leandro Paredes turned Boca Juniors’ night at the Maracanã into a pointed farewell for Vasco da Gama, scoring after an unexpectedly swift recovery from injury and then aiming a social-media message at the Brazilian side.
A Buenos Aires return from the Maracanã
Boca sealed their passage with a 3-1 victory over Vasco, a result shaped late on by Paredes. The Argentine midfielder came off the bench in the 56th minute, with Boca already 2-0 ahead, before scoring in the 87th minute to secure the visitors’ qualification.
The goal prompted an emphatic celebration from Paredes, who was quickly surrounded by his Boca team-mates on the pitch. His contribution carried extra weight given that he had been expected to miss the Vasco ties altogether.
- Boca were leading 2-0 when Paredes entered the match.
- The midfielder scored five minutes from the end of normal time.
- His goal completed a 3-1 win at the Maracanã and confirmed Boca’s progress.
Recovery changes the outlook
Paredes had suffered a grade-two injury to his left hamstring during Boca’s 2-2 draw with Instituto on the ninth of the month. The problem initially left him as an almost certain absentee for the matches against Vasco.
Instead, he recovered in time to take part in Rio de Janeiro, producing the decisive final touch on a night when Boca’s travelling side found a route through a Brazilian opponent.
A message after the final whistle
After the match, Paredes posted a photograph on Instagram accompanied by a message directed at Vasco: “A little kiss and good night.”
The post added another layer to a memorable evening for the Argentine, who had gone from a serious fitness doubt to scorer of the goal that put Boca Juniors through.
