At La Bombonera, Vasco da Gama carried a narrow but significant Copa Sudamericana advantage back across the continent. The Rio club defeated Boca Juniors 1-0 on Tuesday in the first leg of their semi-final, surviving nearly half an hour with 10 men in one of South America’s most demanding away settings.
Key takeaways
- Vasco won 1-0 away to Boca Juniors in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semi-final.
- Adson headed the only goal after Andrés Gómez delivered the cross before half-time.
- Colombian forward Gómez was sent off in the 18th minute of the second half after two quick yellow cards.
- Pedro Emanuel’s side can reach the final with a draw in next Tuesday’s return match in Rio de Janeiro.
- Atlético-MG and Uruguay’s Montevideo City Torque contest the other semi-final.
Vasco find a way in Buenos Aires
Boca began the night with the expected force in Buenos Aires, pushing the visiting side early and feeding off the atmosphere around the stadium. Yet the initial momentum did not last. Vasco increasingly looked the sharper team, finding room to move forward quickly and creating the more threatening attacking situations.
The visitors’ stronger first-half spell brought the decisive moment. Gómez supplied a cross into the area and Adson met it with a header, giving Vasco a lead that changed the shape of the tie and quietened the home crowd.
The result drew attention in Spain, where the victory was described as a hard-earned, uncomfortable but highly valuable step towards the continental final. The focus was on Vasco’s ability to withstand Boca in La Bombonera after their numerical disadvantage.
Gómez dismissal raises the pressure
Vasco’s task became much more difficult 18 minutes after the interval, when Gómez was dismissed. The Colombian received two yellow cards in rapid succession, with the second shown for protesting to the referee.
His exit left Pedro Emanuel’s team to defend their single-goal lead for almost 30 minutes. Vasco held on, however, and will now host Boca in Rio next Tuesday with the benefit of the first-leg win. A draw will be enough to send the Brazilian side into the Copa Sudamericana final.
On the other side of the bracket, Atlético-MG face Montevideo City Torque as the competition moves towards its deciding match.
